Is Maths Real? - How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics' Deepest Truths

A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023<BR>A NEW SCIENTIST BEST BOOK OF 2023<BR>WINNER OF THE LA TIMES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023 BOOK PRIZE<BR><BR>'A generous tour of mathematics for anyone whose instincts tend less towards "Just tell me the answer" and more towards "Wait, but why?"' JORDAN ELLENBERG<BR><BR>To many, maths feels like an unmapped wilderness. Between abstract concepts like imaginary numbers and infinity, it can sometimes feel like a lot of maths is just made up. Why, for example, is 1 not a prime? Why do two negatives cancel each other out? Where does trigonometry come from? Is maths even real? <BR><BR>Abstract mathematician Eugenia Cheng shows that curiosity is the best teacher. Is Maths Real? takes us on a scintillating tour of the simple questions that provoke mathematics' deepest insights. <BR><BR>'Intriguing...celebrates the dizziness and disorientation engendered by childlike questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath'<BR>NEW SCIENTIST<BR><BR>'Masterfully uncovers what's simply profound in the profoundly simple'<BR>FRANCIS SU<BR><BR>'Discover what it feels like to be a real mathematician'<BR>DAILY TELEGRAPH