(Ebook) Simply Math by Michael Clark (Editor), Julie Ferris (Editor), Miezan van Zyl (Editor) ISBN 9780744048360, 0744048362

(Ebook) Simply Math by Michael Clark (Editor), Julie Ferris (Editor), Miezan van Zyl (Editor) ISBN 9780744048360, 0744048362

The ancient Greek philosopher Proclus once wrote,
“Wherever there is number, there is beauty.” Mathematics,
or math, is regarded as beautiful by some and daunting by
others, although its remit stretches far beyond numbers into
areas such as algebra and geometry. Indeed, it is highly likely
that there are whole topics as yet undreamed of. It is difficult
to give a simple definition of math, although it is generally
accepted that its study involves quantities, shapes, and patterns.
The vast subject that we encounter today has evolved over
thousands of years, from early evidence of tallying found in
etched bones, via the invention of the Hindu-Arabic number
system, to modern abstract algebra.
Math is vitally important, not just in passing tests, but inmany aspects of our everyday lives such as in the supermarket
or when decorating a room. Many of us have set ways of working
out a few things, though we do not always have the conceptual
understanding needed to confidently apply math in a wide
variety of situations.
This book offers a concise and visual introduction to the bigideas behind the main strands, such as number, measure, and
statistics. It touches on more advanced topics such as calculus,
as well as fascinating aspects including fractal geometry and
the golden ratio. It is hoped that this book will convey the beauty
of math, as well as being of some practical use, and most
importantly allow the subject to seem less daunting to many.