The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension

Math's infinite mysteries unfold in this updated edition of the award-winning The Math Book. Beginning millions of years ago with ancient “ant odometers,” and moving through time to our modern-day quest for higher dimensions, prolific polymath Clifford Pickover covers major milestones in mathematical history. Among the numerous concepts readers will encounter as they dip into this inviting anthology: cicada-generated prime numbers, magic squares, and the butterfly effect. Each topic is presented in a lavishly illustrated spread, including formulas and real-world applications of the theorems. This reissue includes four new entries: 2013 (Bounded Gaps Between Primes), 2015 (Erdős Discrepancy Problem Solved), 2016 (Sphere Packing in Dimension 8), and 2023 (Einstein Tiles and Beyond). Each topic is presented in a lavishly illustrated spread, including formulas and real-world applications of the theorems.

About the Author

Clifford A. Pickover has published more than 50 books, translated into a dozen languages, on topics ranging from science and mathematics to religion, art, and history. He received his PhD degree from Yale University, has been granted more than 800 US patents, and has more than 180,000 X (formerly Twitter) followers. For many years, he was an IBM researcher and inventor and editor-in-chief of the IBM Journal of Research and Development. He is the author of many other books including Death and the Afterlife, The Physics Book, and The Math Book, which won the Neumann Prize. Clifford lives in New York.