Cut the Knot

Cut the Knot PDF

Author: Alexander Bogomolny

Publisher: Wolfram Media

Published: 2020-11-17

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 9781579550417

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He who untied the Gordian knot would rule all of Asia So goes the legend of the tricky knot of Gordius, king of Phrygia.Many had tried; many had failed, but Alexander the Great simplycut the knot with his sword. He went on to conquer most of Asia, eventually reaching as far east as Northern India. Cut the Knot is a book of probability riddles curated to challenge the mind andexpand mathematical and logical thinking skills. First housed on cut-the-knot.org, these puzzles and their solutions represent the efforts of great minds around theworld. Follow along as Alexander Bogomolny presents these selected riddles bytopical progression. Try them for yourself before reading their solutions. Just like itwas for Alexander the Great, the non-trivial, unexpected solution might be exactlythe one you need.

The Knot Book

The Knot Book PDF

Author: Colin Conrad Adams

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 0821836781

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Knots are familiar objects. Yet the mathematical theory of knots quickly leads to deep results in topology and geometry. This work offers an introduction to this theory, starting with our understanding of knots. It presents the applications of knot theory to modern chemistry, biology and physics.

Single Digits

Single Digits PDF

Author: Marc Chamberland

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2017-05-30

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0691175691

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"The numbers one through nine have remarkable mathematical properties and characteristics. For instance, why do eight perfect card shuffles leave a standard deck of cards unchanged? Are there really "six degrees of separation" between all pairs of people? And how can any map need only four colors to ensure that no regions of the same color touch? In Single Digits, Marc Chamberland takes readers on a fascinating exploration of small numbers, from one to nine, looking at their history, applications, and connections to various areas of mathematics, including number theory, geometry, chaos theory, numerical analysis, and mathematical physics."--Jacket.

Sacred Mathematics

Sacred Mathematics PDF

Author: Fukagawa Hidetoshi

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2021-08-10

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 1400829712

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Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries Japan was totally isolated from the West by imperial decree. During that time, a unique brand of homegrown mathematics flourished, one that was completely uninfluenced by developments in Western mathematics. People from all walks of life--samurai, farmers, and merchants--inscribed a wide variety of geometry problems on wooden tablets called sangaku and hung them in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines throughout Japan. Sacred Mathematics is the first book published in the West to fully examine this tantalizing--and incredibly beautiful--mathematical tradition. Fukagawa Hidetoshi and Tony Rothman present for the first time in English excerpts from the travel diary of a nineteenth-century Japanese mathematician, Yamaguchi Kanzan, who journeyed on foot throughout Japan to collect temple geometry problems. The authors set this fascinating travel narrative--and almost everything else that is known about temple geometry--within the broader cultural and historical context of the period. They explain the sacred and devotional aspects of sangaku, and reveal how Japanese folk mathematicians discovered many well-known theorems independently of mathematicians in the West--and in some cases much earlier. The book is generously illustrated with photographs of the tablets and stunning artwork of the period. Then there are the geometry problems themselves, nearly two hundred of them, fully illustrated and ranging from the utterly simple to the virtually impossible. Solutions for most are provided. A unique book in every respect, Sacred Mathematics demonstrates how mathematical thinking can vary by culture yet transcend cultural and geographic boundaries.

A Certain Ambiguity

A Certain Ambiguity PDF

Author: Gaurav Suri

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2010-07-01

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 1400834775

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While taking a class on infinity at Stanford in the late 1980s, Ravi Kapoor discovers that he is confronting the same mathematical and philosophical dilemmas that his mathematician grandfather had faced many decades earlier--and that had landed him in jail. Charged under an obscure blasphemy law in a small New Jersey town in 1919, Vijay Sahni is challenged by a skeptical judge to defend his belief that the certainty of mathematics can be extended to all human knowledge--including religion. Together, the two men discover the power--and the fallibility--of what has long been considered the pinnacle of human certainty, Euclidean geometry. As grandfather and grandson struggle with the question of whether there can ever be absolute certainty in mathematics or life, they are forced to reconsider their fundamental beliefs and choices. Their stories hinge on their explorations of parallel developments in the study of geometry and infinity--and the mathematics throughout is as rigorous and fascinating as the narrative and characters are compelling and complex. Moving and enlightening, A Certain Ambiguity is a story about what it means to face the extent--and the limits--of human knowledge.

Knot Theory and Its Applications

Knot Theory and Its Applications PDF

Author: Kunio Murasugi

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-12-29

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 0817647198

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This book introduces the study of knots, providing insights into recent applications in DNA research and graph theory. It sets forth fundamental facts such as knot diagrams, braid representations, Seifert surfaces, tangles, and Alexander polynomials. It also covers more recent developments and special topics, such as chord diagrams and covering spaces. The author avoids advanced mathematical terminology and intricate techniques in algebraic topology and group theory. Numerous diagrams and exercises help readers understand and apply the theory. Each chapter includes a supplement with interesting historical and mathematical comments.

Cutting the Gordian Knot of Economic Reform

Cutting the Gordian Knot of Economic Reform PDF

Author: Leonardo Baccini

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 0199388997

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During the past two decades, governments across the developing world have implemented many liberal economic reforms. 'Cutting the Gordian Knot of Economic Reform' shows that international institutions - formal agreements that govern policy formation in member states - made possible some of the most important reforms in developing countries.

Reading, Writing, and Proving

Reading, Writing, and Proving PDF

Author: Ulrich Daepp

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2006-04-18

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 0387215603

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This book, based on Pólya's method of problem solving, aids students in their transition to higher-level mathematics. It begins by providing a great deal of guidance on how to approach definitions, examples, and theorems in mathematics and ends by providing projects for independent study. Students will follow Pólya's four step process: learn to understand the problem; devise a plan to solve the problem; carry out that plan; and look back and check what the results told them.

The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner and Organizer, Revised and Updated [binder]

The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner and Organizer, Revised and Updated [binder] PDF

Author: Editors of The Knot

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Published: 2021-12-07

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 0593139631

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From the #1 wedding website, The Knot, comes their bestselling binder—the indispensable organizer and planner that hundreds of thousands of married-couples-to-be have relied on—now completely revised and updated for a wide variety of ceremonies. The go-to online resource that has been helping couples plan their wedding ceremonies for more than twenty-five years, The Knot has compiled all their essential planning tools into this beautiful wedding binder that features a linen-textured cover and foil stamping. In addition to dozens of ideas brand-new to this edition, you will find: Detailed timelines and worksheets for scheduling and budgeting Planning and money-saving tips on everything from the dress to the music to the reception decor 8 tabbed dividers packed with visual inspiration, including more than 100 brand-new color photos of updated centerpieces, table settings, favors, and more Extensive information on choosing your vendors, including checklists of key questions to ask Inclusive ideas for modern weddings, including inspiration for LGBTQ+, multicultural, interfaith, and nontraditional ceremonies A PVC pocket for collecting tear sheets, important contracts, and business cards Removable stickers on the front, spine, and back so you can make the binder your own Since it first published in 1999, The Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner & Organizer has become a go-to resource and guide for anyone preparing to say "I do." Now updated for today's couples, it's also a lovely keepsake after the meaningful, joyful, and customized celebration you're sure to have.

Knots and Links

Knots and Links PDF

Author: Dale Rolfsen

Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13: 0821834363

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Rolfsen's beautiful book on knots and links can be read by anyone, from beginner to expert, who wants to learn about knot theory. Beginners find an inviting introduction to the elements of topology, emphasizing the tools needed for understanding knots, the fundamental group and van Kampen's theorem, for example, which are then applied to concrete problems, such as computing knot groups. For experts, Rolfsen explains advanced topics, such as the connections between knot theory and surgery and how they are useful to understanding three-manifolds. Besides providing a guide to understanding knot theory, the book offers 'practical' training. After reading it, you will be able to do many things: compute presentations of knot groups, Alexander polynomials, and other invariants; perform surgery on three-manifolds; and visualize knots and their complements.It is characterized by its hands-on approach and emphasis on a visual, geometric understanding. Rolfsen offers invaluable insight and strikes a perfect balance between giving technical details and offering informal explanations. The illustrations are superb, and a wealth of examples are included. Now back in print by the AMS, the book is still a standard reference in knot theory. It is written in a remarkable style that makes it useful for both beginners and researchers. Particularly noteworthy is the table of knots and links at the end. This volume is an excellent introduction to the topic and is suitable as a textbook for a course in knot theory or 3-manifolds. Other key books of interest on this topic available from the AMS are ""The Shoelace Book: A Mathematical Guide to the Best (and Worst) Ways to Lace your Shoes"" and ""The Knot Book.""