Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................... v
Introduction and acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................. ix
Chapter 1 Numbers...........................................................................................................3
- Zero...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
- The number seven............................................................................................................................................. 11
- Counting and its originsin prehistory................................................................................................................ 17
- Counting is difficult............................................................................................................................................ 21
- The cultural meaning of numbers...................................................................................................................... 25
- The number 12................................................................................................................................................... 29
- The number 153.................................................................................................................................................33
- The competition between numbering systems................................................................................................. 37
Chapter 2 Geometry........................................................................................................ 41
- Geometry...........................................................................................................................................................45
- Geometry in advertising.................................................................................................................................... 47
- The Pythagorean theorem................................................................................................................................. 51
- The origin of fractals.......................................................................................................................................... 55
- The circle and the sphere.................................................................................................................................. 61
- Hexagons in nature............................................................................................................................................65
- Bubbles..............................................................................................................................................................69
- Mathematics and eclipses................................................................................................................................. 73
Chapter 3 Culture and society.........................................................................................77
- Mathematics and professions........................................................................................................................... 81
- Mathematics and sports....................................................................................................................................85
- One or many mathematics?..............................................................................................................................89
- Fear of mathematics..........................................................................................................................................93
- Calories.............................................................................................................................................................. 97
- Mathematics in language................................................................................................................................ 101
- Alice in Wonderland and logic ........................................................................................................................ 105
Chapter 4 Patterns and models.................................................................................... 107
- The four-color theorem.....................................................................................................................................111
- Measuring the heavens.....................................................................................................................................115
- Exponential growth...........................................................................................................................................119
- Exponential decrease...................................................................................................................................... 123
- The origin of chess.......................................................................................................................................... 127
- Mathematics and the search for patterns....................................................................................................... 131
- Palindromes..................................................................................................................................................... 135
- Biometry.......................................................................................................................................................... 139
Chapter 5 Probability and statistics.............................................................................. 143
- Statistic and its global impact......................................................................................................................... 147
- Numbers in statistics....................................................................................................................................... 149
- Predicting the future........................................................................................................................................ 153
- A streak can fool us......................................................................................................................................... 157
- The value of estimation.................................................................................................................................... 161
- The average..................................................................................................................................................... 165
Chapter 6 Ratios and proportions................................................................................. 169
- The stellar magnitude scale............................................................................................................................. 173
- Pi (π)................................................................................................................................................................. 177
- The dimensions of a comet............................................................................................................................. 181
- The golden ratio............................................................................................................................................... 185
- Scale models................................................................................................................................................... 189
- The length of a day.......................................................................................................................................... 193
- Mathematics in the universe............................................................................................................................ 197
Chapter 7 About history................................................................................................ 199
- The abacus...................................................................................................................................................... 203
- Hypatia of Alexandria....................................................................................................................................... 207
- The Mayan numbering system........................................................................................................................ 211
- Symbols in mathematics................................................................................................................................. 215
- Ramanujan....................................................................................................................................................... 219
- Cleopatra......................................................................................................................................................... 223
- The quipu......................................................................................................................................................... 227
- Florence Nightingale........................................................................................................................................ 231
Bibliography..................................................................................................................233
