Do Androids Dream of Symmetric Sheaves?: And Other Mathematically Bent Stories - Softcover

Adams, Colin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3031314905 ISBN 13: 9783031314902

Publisher: Birkhäuser, 2023

Synopsis

Why is the Devil thrilled when Hell gets its first mathematician? How do 6 and 27 solve the diabolical murder of 9?  What are the advantages a vampire has in the math world?  What happens when we run out of new math to discover?  How does Dr. Frankenstein create the ideal mathematical creature? What transpires when a grad student digging for theorems strikes a rich vein on the ridge overlooking Deadwood? What happens when math students band together to foment rebellion? What will a mathematician do beyond the grave to finish that elusive proof?

This is just a small subset of the questions plumbed in this collection of 45 mathematically bent stories from the fertile imagination of Colin Adams. Originally appearing in The Mathematical Intelligencer, an expository mathematics magazine, these tales give a decidedly unconventional look at the world of mathematics and mathematicians. A section of notes is provided at the end of the book that explain references that may not be familiar to all and that include additional commentary by the author.

About this title

About the Author

Colin Adams is the Thomas T. Read Professor of Mathematics at Williams College. He primarily works in the areas of hyperbolic 3-manifolds and knot theory. Adams also writes the "Mathematically Bent" column for the Mathematical Intelligencer.

From the Back Cover

Why is the Devil thrilled when Hell gets its first mathematician? How do 6 and 27 solve the diabolical murder of 9?  What are the advantages a vampire has in the math world?  What happens when we run out of new math to discover?  How does Dr. Frankenstein create the ideal mathematical creature? What transpires when a grad student digging for theorems strikes a rich vein on the ridge overlooking Deadwood? What happens when math students band together to foment rebellion? What will a mathematician do beyond the grave to finish that elusive proof?

This is just a small subset of the questions plumbed in this collection of 45 mathematically bent stories from the fertile imagination of Colin Adams. Originally appearing in The Mathematical Intelligencer, an expository mathematics magazine, these tales give a decidedly unconventional look at the world of mathematics and mathematicians. A section of notes is provided at the end of the book that explain references that may not be familiar to all and that include additional commentary by the author.

Edition details

• Publisher: Birkhäuser
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3031314905
• ISBN 13: 9783031314902
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 263