Modern use: Used to compress information for the JPEG image format and discover the structure of molecules. An approachable, lively, and informative guide to the mathematical building blocks of modern life, In Pursuit of the Unknown is a penetrating exploration of how we have also used equations to make sense of, and in turn influence, our world. However, I found it quite hard to read at times, despite having a statistical/mathematical background. If "regular" people read this chapter and fully understood it, they would (and should) become enraged over what has happened and continues to happen.

Maxwell's equations are to classical electromagnetism as Newton's laws of motion and law of universal gravitation are to classical mechanics — they are the foundation of our explanation of how electromagnetism works on a day to day scale.History: Calculus as we currently know it was described around the same time in the late 17th century by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. An entertaining journey through the development of theoretical mathematics, as well as an informative look at applied science. He used the Second Law of Thermodynamics as an example, as it is a very fundamental physical law that should be familiar to everyone.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to appreciate the poetry and beauty of a good, significant equation.His recent books include Calculating the Cosmos, Significant Figures, In Pursuit of the Unknown , and Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures . One of the reasons the normal curve shows up so often is that it describes the behavior of large groups of independent processes . We often overlook the historical link between mathematics and technological advances, says Stewart—but this connection is integral to any complete understanding of human history. In alcuni passaggi ho avuto la chiara sensazione che la traduzione italiana fosse inadeguata, se non errata. From Pythagoras’s Theorem to the Black-Scholes equation, equations have shaped our lives – even if we weren’t aware of them.