Number Story: From Counting to Cryptography

by Peter Michael Higgins

Book Overview

Peter Higgins distills centuries of work into one delightful narrative that celebrates the mystery of numbers and explains how different kinds of numbers arose and why they are useful. Full of historical snippets and interesting examples, the book ranges from simple number puzzles and magic tricks, to showing how ideas about numbers relate to real-world problems. This fascinating book will inspire and entertain readers across a range of abilities...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1848000006
• ISBN13: 9781848000001
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Copernicus Books
• Length: 323 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

Number Story is Wonder Story

This book has nothing wrong with it except a few typos. It's a well-written entry into higher math. Every chapter could be the summary of a PhD thesis. Yet, it's for you and me. I never got further than college statistics, yet, with a willingness to focus, I can roughly follow what Mr. Higgins is talking about. On the other hand, if I really knew my math, I'd be soaring into all sorts of mathematical heights and details. I personally loved the chapter on cryptography. Mr. Higgins tell the story of this fascinating field, which originated from war-time necessity. His simple non-mathematical explanations seduced me into actually delving with him into deeper math. So if you're like me, this chapter alone was worth the read. If you are a real mathematician, oh man, you'll follow all the math, and be so glad you read this book.

Classic

The book is a classic. It is well written. It is a joy to read. Do you know the story of numbers? Read the book, and find out. The author, in a delightful style of writing, explains the story of numbers. Peter Higgins, I feel, can get his information across to the reader so they'll understand it. You'll say to yourself, over and over again, that makes sense, how come in the past no one could explain it to me in this manner? There are professors, then there are Professors, Peter Higgins deserves the title of Professor of Mathematics. These are my feelings, and I read the book with an open mind. Every now and then I'll re-read a chapter, or I'll dive into the chapter "For Connoisseurs." In the end, it's a classic.