Humble Pi by Matt ParkerCall Number: West Stacks QA93 .P37275 2021
ISBN: 9780593084694
Publication Date: 2021-01-19
The book-length answer to anyone who ever put their hand up in math class and asked, "When am I ever going to use this in the real world?" Our whole world is built on math, from the code running a website to the equations enabling the design of skyscrapers and bridges. Most of the time this math works quietly behind the scenes...until it doesn't. Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire, and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the bizarre ways math trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world.