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5 Golden Rules: Great Theories of 20th-Century Mathematics and Why They Matter
5 Golden Rules Great Theories of 20thCentury Mathematics and Why They Matter Author:John L. Casti How did mathematics influence the decoding of Nazi war plans,the prediction of trends on the stock market, and the invention of computers? John L. Casti explores these and other topics in his wonderfully entertaining and educational book on the five most important and influential math theories of the last 100 years. Written for the general reade... more »r, the book keeps the formulas and theorems to a minimum but still conveys the excitement and content of where the real mathematical action is taking place. Full of real-life application from economics, sports, history, meteorology, and many other areas that impact our daily lives, Five Golden Rules brings the drama of these five mathematical breakthroughs vividly to life.
* The Minmax Theorem -- developed for game theory and its application to military strategy and economic problems.
* The Brouwer Fixed Point Theorem -- used to send men to the moon by defining the shape of space.
* The Halting Theorem -- tackled important questions about the limitation of computing machines and their ability to mimic human intelligence.
* Morse's Theorem -- describes the geometrical shapes of living things and their processes.
* The Simplex Method -- provides an algorithm to help solve linear programming problems.
Each of these five great 20th century theorems is like a finely crafted jewel -- a work of beauty much like the greatest poems or paintings of our time. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people haven't been able to appreciate this aspect of mathematics -- until now. Showing why ordinary people should care about mathematics as a factor in their daily lives, Five Golden Rules is a fascinating journey of insight and discovery into the frontiers of mathematics.« less