Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics' Deepest Truths

By: Eugenia Cheng

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Synopsis: One of the world&’s most creative mathematicians offers a &“brilliant&” and &“mesmerizing&” (Popular Science) new way to look at math—focusing on questions, not answers Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and a New Scientist Best Book of the Year Where do we learn math: From rules in a textbook? From logic and deduction? Not really, according to mathematician Eugenia Cheng: we learn it from human curiosity—most importantly, from asking questions. This may come as a surprise to those who think that math is about finding the one right answer, or those who were told that the &“dumb&” question they asked just proved they were bad at math. But Cheng shows why people who ask questions like &“Why does 1 + 1 = 2?&” are at the very heart of the search for mathematical truth.   Is Math Real? is a much-needed repudiation of the rigid ways we&’re taught to do math, and a celebration of the true, curious spirit of the discipline. Written with intelligence and passion, Is Math Real? brings us math as we&’ve never seen it before, revealing how profound insights can emerge from seemingly unlikely sources.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:: 9781541601840
Related ISBNs:: 9781541601826
Publisher:: Basic Books
Date of Addition:: 11/08/24
Copyrighted By:: Eugenia Cheng
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy
Grade Levels:: Seventh grade
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.