Description
Book SynopsisExplore the hidden powers of math that shape us, influencing everything from our sense of justice to our perception of beauty. Archaeologists decoding ancient messages. Epidemiologists analyzing the spread of a contagious disease. African Americans seeking full enfranchisement in a society that has worked to exclude them. A family doing puzzles at the kitchen table. These scenarios seem to have little in common. But in fact, each of these groups is faced with a multifaceted challengeand each is using math to solve it. In Supermath, popular author and educator Anna Weltman showcases the incredible power of mathematics when people apply it outside of the world of pure numbers, introducing it into the realms of science, politics, history, education, and art. Her stories share how math has protected us from war and disease, helped us communicate across time and space, and made the world a fairer and more beautiful place. But Weltman also warns us that dangers arise when the transformat
Trade ReviewWeltman's book can be read as a call for scholars, educators, and communicators of mathematics to grapple with the power our training and credentialing in mathematics grants us, and to understand that its most basic promise of solving problems is not automatic but one that we must realize.
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New Books NetworkThis friendly, generalist book is a fun and easy read for anyone interested in mathematics, whether they have a strong background in the subject or not. More importantly, though, it's a thought-provoking look at the not-so-secret human side of mathematics.
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Mathematics Magazine...the essays are worthwhile reads that are thought-provoking.
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Mathematics MagazineTable of ContentsPreface
Chapter 1. Is Math the Universal Language? Math and the Problem of Communicating across Cultures
Chapter 2. Can Math Predict the Next Move? Math and the Problem of Winning (or Not Losing, at Least)
Chapter 3. Can Math Eliminate Bias? Math and the Problem of Fairness
Chapter 4. Can Math Open Doors? Math and the Problem of Opportunity
Chapter 5. What Is Genuine Beauty? Math and the Problem of Perception
References
Index
