This is a different read. Two mathematicians trace the history of the discovery and proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem - the one the scarecrow quotes in the Wizard of Oz when he gets his brain:
"The square of the hypotenuse of an isosceles [sic right angled] triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides"That quote was about the extent of my knowledge of the theorem. This book provided a delightful and quixotic look at its evolution and application throughout history. I admit I skimmed the proofs and my eyes glazed in parts. I felt I was listening to a discussion by two experts on a topic I barely understand and yet enjoy their enthusiasm for the subject.
They quote Georg Christoph Lichtenberg "What you have been obliged in discover by yourself leave a path in your mind which you can use again when the need arises."
Quotes:
On math as a craft:
"Should you conclude that so much doggedness, wedded to such inspiration, is beyond your wildest dreams, remember that what you've followed here is the tidied remainder of who knows how many lively conversations -- and conversation among practitioners as devoted to their craft as are cooks to theirs."
Published: 2011 Read: November 2017 Genre: Non-fiction, mathematics
No comments:
Post a Comment
Post your comments here, would love to hear what you think