The Math Book

A vibrant exploration of the world’s most famous and important mathematical ideas, theorems, and movements, and the great minds behind them.

What is an imaginary number? Can two parallel lines ever meet? How can math help us predict the future?

Charting the development of math around the world from Babylon to Bletchley Park, this book explores big questions like these and explains how the answers help us understand everything from patterns in nature to artificial intelligence.

Written in clear English, The Math Book is packed with short, pithy explanations that cut through the jargon, step-by-step diagrams that untangle knotty theories, memorable quotes, and witty illustrations that play with our ideas about numbers.

This diverse and inclusive account of mathematics offers insights into the math behind world economies and espionage. But it also traces the history of math, from ancient ideas such as magic squares and the abacus to modern cryptography, fractals, and the final proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem. Continuing the “Big Ideas” series’ trademark combination of authoritative, clear text and bold graphics, The Math Book uses an innovative visual approach to make the subject accessible to everyone, whether you’re an avid student or just curious about math.