Letters to a Young MathematicianBasic Books, 1.8.2007 - 224 sivua The first scientific entry in the acclaimed Art of Mentoring series from Basic Books, Letters to a Young Mathematician tells readers what Ian Stewart wishes he had known when he was a student and young faculty member. Subjects ranging from the philosophical to the practical -- what mathematics is and why it's worth doing, the relationship between logic and proof, the role of beauty in mathematical thinking, the future of mathematics, how to deal with the peculiarities of the mathematical community, and many others -- are dealt with in Stewart's much-admired style, which combines subtle, easygoing humor with a talent for cutting to the heart of the matter. In the tradition of G.H. Hardy's classic A Mathematician's Apology, this book is sure to be a perennial favorite with students at all levels, as well as with other readers who are curious about the frequently incomprehensible world of mathematics. |
Sisältö
| 1 | |
| 11 | |
3 The Breadth of Mathematics 18 | 18 |
4 Hasnt It All Been Done? 33 | 33 |
5 Surrounded by Math 45 | 45 |
6 How Mathematicians Think 53 | 53 |
7 How to Learn Math 62 | 62 |
8 Fear of Proofs 71 | 71 |
13 Impossible Problems 110 | 110 |
14 The Career Ladder 122 | 122 |
15 Pure or Applied? 131 | 131 |
16 Where Do You Get Those Crazy Ideas? 147 | 147 |
17 How to Teach Math 157 | 157 |
18 The Mathematical Community 168 | 168 |
19 Pigs and Pickup Trucks 178 | 178 |
20 Pleasures and Perils of Collaboration 188 | 188 |
9 Cant Computers Solve Everything? 82
| 82 |
10 Mathematical Storytelling 87 | 87 |
11 Going for the Jugular 95 | 95 |
12 Blockbusters 103 | 103 |
21 Is God a Mathematician? 196 | 196 |
Notes and References 205 | 205 |
Muita painoksia - Näytä kaikki
Yleiset termit ja lausekkeet
Abisko algebra angle angle trisection answer applied asked bers brains calculations can’t career cians circle collaboration Computer-assisted proofs conjecture construct count course cube cubic equation Dear dominoes elegant Erd~s example existence experience Fermat’s last theorem four color theorem geometry Hammersley human Ian Stewart ical ideas invent Jack Cohen knew lecture logical look math mathematics maticians matics methods mind never Newton’s number theory patterns Peter Swinnerton-Dyer physicist Poincaré Poincaré conjecture problem proved pure math pure mathematicians puzzle quadratic question rainbow Riemann hypothesis Science of Discworld simple solution solve someone square roots statement story sure symmetry teacher teaching tell there’s thing tion today’s trisect trisect the angle ture turn understand vowel Wiles’s wonder write wrong zero
Suositut otteet
Sivu ix - It is a melancholy experience for a professional mathematician to find himself writing about mathematics. The function of a mathematician is to do something, to prove new theorems, to add to mathematics, and not to talk about what he or other mathematicians have done.