Curves for the Mathematically Curious : : An Anthology of the Unpredictable, Historical, Beautiful, and Romantic / / Julian Havil.

Ten amazing curves personally selected by one of today's most important math writersCurves for the Mathematically Curious is a thoughtfully curated collection of ten mathematical curves, selected by Julian Havil for their significance, mathematical interest, and beauty. Each chapter gives an ac...

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Superior document:Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter EBOOK PACKAGE COMPLETE 2019 English
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Place / Publishing House:Princeton, NJ : : Princeton University Press, , [2019]
©2019
Year of Publication:2019
Language:English
Online Access:
Physical Description:1 online resource (280 p.) :; 125 b/w illus.
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Description
Other title:Frontmatter --
Contents --
Preface --
Acknowledgments --
Chapter One. The Euler Spiral --
Chapter Two. The Weierstrass Curve --
Chapter Three. Bézier Curves --
Chapter Four.66 The Rectangular Hyperbola --
Chapter Five. The Quadratrix of Hippias --
Chapter Six. Two Space-Filling Curves --
Chapter Seven. Curves of Constant Width --
Chapter Eight. The Normal Curve --
Chapter Nine. The Catenary --
Chapter Ten. Elliptic Curves --
Perhaps the Most Important Curve of All --
Appendix A. The Title Page --
Appendix B. Conics Encapsulated --
Appendix C. A Trigonometric Variant for the Bézier Curve --
Appendix D. Envelopes --
Appendix E. The Mathematics of an Arch --
Appendix F. The Simple Pendulum --
Appendix G. Fibonacci's Method --
References --
Index
Summary:Ten amazing curves personally selected by one of today's most important math writersCurves for the Mathematically Curious is a thoughtfully curated collection of ten mathematical curves, selected by Julian Havil for their significance, mathematical interest, and beauty. Each chapter gives an account of the history and definition of a curve, providing a glimpse into the elegant and often surprising mathematics involved in its creation and evolution. In telling the ten stories, Havil introduces many mathematicians and other innovators, some whose fame has withstood the passing of years and others who have slipped into comparative obscurity. You will meet Pierre Bézier, who is known for his ubiquitous and eponymous curves, and Adolphe Quetelet, who trumpeted the ubiquity of the normal curve but whose name now hides behind the modern body mass index. These and other ingenious thinkers engaged with the challenges, incongruities, and insights to be found in these remarkable curves-and now you can share in this adventure.Curves for the Mathematically Curious is a rigorous and enriching mathematical experience for anyone interested in curves, and the book is designed so that readers who choose can follow the details with pencil and paper. Every curve has a story worth telling.
Format:Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.
ISBN:9780691197784
9783110610765
9783110664232
9783110610406
9783110606362
9783110663365
DOI:10.1515/9780691197784?locatt=mode:legacy
Access:restricted access
Hierarchical level:Monograph
Statement of Responsibility: Julian Havil.