Curves for the Mathematically Curious

An Anthology of the Unpredictable, Historical, Beautiful, and Romantic

By: Julian Havil

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Paperback | 1 April 2022

At a Glance

Paperback
280 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.3 x 13.4 x 2.7

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Curves for the Mathematically Curious is a thoughtfully curated collection of ten mathematical curves, selected by Julian Havil for their significance, mathematical interest, and beauty. Each chapter gives an account of the history and definition of one curve, providing a glimpse into the elegant and often surprising mathematics involved in its creation and evolution. In telling the ten stories, Havil introduces many mathematicians and other innovators, some whose fame has withstood the passing of years and others who have slipped into comparative obscurity. You will meet Pierre Bezier, who is known for his ubiquitous and eponymous curves, and Adolphe Quetelet, who trumpeted the ubiquity of the normal curve but whose name now hides behind the modern body mass index. These and other ingenious thinkers engaged with the challenges, incongruities, and insights to be found in these remarkable curves — and now you can share in this adventure.

Curves for the Mathematically Curious is a rigorous and enriching mathematical experience for anyone interested in curves, and the book is designed so that readers who choose can follow the details with pencil and paper. Every curve has a story worth telling.

About the Author

Julian Havil is the author of John Napier: Life, Logarithms, and Legacy; The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can't Count On; Impossible? Surprising Solutions to Counterintuitive Conundrums; Nonplussed! Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas; and Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant (all Princeton). He is a retired former master at Winchester College, England, where he taught mathematics for more than three decades.

Industry Reviews

'This is not your father's - or grandfather's - standard collection of conic sections.'
Jim Stein New Books Network

'Undoubtedly [this book], written in the same entertaining unmistakable style of the author and containing a lot of information - mathematical, historical and general will attract, as the previous ones, a large audience.'
S. Cobzas Studia Mathematica

'What a beautiful book!'
Jonathan Shock Mathemafrica.org

'A wonderful addition to libraries where the mathematically curious find their reading.'
Choice

'Havil's narrative for each curve is a cornucopia of fun facts and rigorous explanation.'
Andrew J. Simoson Mathematical Intelligence

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