Where Do Numbers Come From?

ISBN-13: 9781108738385 / Angielski / Miękka / 2020 / 270 str.

T. W. (University of Cambridge) Korner

Opis

Nowadays it is commonplace for apprentice mathematicians to hear 'we shall assume the standard properties of the real numbers' as part of their training. But exactly what are those properties? And why can we assume them? This book is clearly and entertainingly written for anyone wanting to know the answers.

Recenzje

'Where Do Numbers Come From? certainly adds to the pleasure of mathematics as well as narrating a journey that surely every mathematician should undertake at some stage. As such, I enthusiastically recommend it to all Gazette readers.' Nick Lord, The Mathematical Gazette

Spis treści

Introduction; Part I. The Rationals: 1. Counting sheep; 2. The strictly positive rationals; 3. The rational numbers; Part II. The Natural Numbers: 4. The golden key; 5. Modular arithmetic; 6. Axioms for the natural numbers; Part III. The Real Numbers (and the Complex Numbers): 7. What is the problem?; 8. And what is its solution?; 9. The complex numbers; 10. A plethora of polynomials; 11. Can we go further?; Appendix A. Products of many elements; Appendix B. nth complex roots; Appendix C. How do quaternions represent rotations?; Appendix D. Why are the quaternions so special?; References; Index.