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Euler's Pioneering Equation: The most beautiful theorem in mathematics (Paperback)
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Euler's Pioneering Equation: The most beautiful theorem in mathematics (Paperback)

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£11.99
Paperback 176 Pages
Published: 25/07/2019
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In 1988 The Mathematical Intelligencer, a quarterly mathematics journal, carried out a poll to find the most beautiful theorem in mathematics. Twenty-four theorems were listed and readers were invited to award each a 'score for beauty'. While there were many worthy competitors, the winner was 'Euler's equation'. In 2004 Physics World carried out a similar poll of 'greatest equations', and found that among physicists Euler's mathematical result came second only to Maxwell's equations. The Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin reflected the feelings of many in describing it as "like a Shakespearian sonnet that captures the very essence of love, or a painting which brings out the beauty of the human form that is far more than just skin deep, Euler's equation reaches down into the very depths of existence".

What is it that makes Euler's identity, eiπ + 1 = 0, so special?

In Euler's Pioneering Equation Robin Wilson shows how this simple, elegant, and profound formula links together perhaps the five most important numbers in mathematics, each associated with a story in themselves: the number 1, the basis of our counting system; the concept of zero, which was a major development in mathematics, and opened up the idea of negative numbers; π an irrational number, the basis for the measurement of circles; the exponential e, associated with exponential growth and logarithms; and the imaginary number i, the square root of -1, the basis of complex numbers. Following a chapter on each of the elements, Robin Wilson discusses how the startling relationship between them was established, including the several near misses to the discovery of the formula.

Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780198794936
Number of pages: 176
Weight: 136 g
Dimensions: 197 x 130 x 11 mm


MEDIA REVIEWS

As ever, Robin Wilson's prose is witty, smooth, accurate and effortlessly enjoyable and I recommend this book unreservedly as a thoroughly good read - Nick Lord, The Mathematical Gazette

The distinguished mathematical historian Robin Wilson does his usual masterful job of telling a wonderfully entertaining story here about Euler's equation. - John J. Watkins, MathSciNet

Robin Wilson has produced a wonderful introduction to some of the most fundamental ideas in mathematics. I would highly recommend that you give a copy to any inquisitive young person you know. - Andrew Hone, LMS Newsletter

Excellent book... very readable... superb illustrations. - Peter Ransom, Symmetry Plus

The amount of information compressed in only 150 pages is amazing. This doesn't mean that it is so dense that it becomes unreadable. Quite the opposite. Because there are no long drawn-out detours, the story becomes straightforward and understandable ... I liked [this book] because it is quite broad, touching upon so many mathematical subjects, mainly in their historical context, while readability remains most enjoyable notwithstanding its conciseness. - Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society

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