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maths.. how cool is it!

Comments

  • #2
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 9,844 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Dispite failing it at LC, always had a interest in the subject
    I book I've just started reading is Ian Stewart's "The Magic Maze", on how maths underpins the natural world. Offbeat 1st chapter with a discussion on the Golden Mean vs Snarks.


  • #3
    flamegrill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,848 ✭✭✭flamegrill


    /me supects you may not be the only one who has failed or is goin to fail that subject.

    (only time will tell cil!)


  • #4
    Bob the Unlucky Octopus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,136 ✭✭✭Bob the Unlucky Octopus


    Those interested in Chaos Theory, fractals and infinite iterative models could do worse than check out James Gleick's "Chaos". Very good book.

    And of course "Fermat's Last Theorem", a must have for any fan of math.

    Euler's "Paths to Minimums" is a fantastic insight into graph theory and discrete mathematics. It covers every major area of Eulerian circuits (duh) and some early Hamiltonian work.

    Bob the Unlucky Octopus


  • #5
    Greenbean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 897 ✭✭✭Greenbean


    Gah hamilton, euler, .. stop scaring me. Computer science takes you on a wild journey into this territory - Cooke's theorem, satisfiability, hamiltonian circuits.. they end up being nasty subject matter.


  • #6
    deRanged
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭deRanged


    The books Bob mentioned are great. Very interesting reading.
    I always disliked maths. Despite both my parents being maths teachers, I had a habit of failing maths exams in school. As you can imagine that didn't go down too well. I was even thrown out of the top maths class by the teacher! I arrived in college with a thorough dislike for maths in general. In my time in UCC (doing Computer Science) you had to take maths courses on calculus, discrete maths and more topics I can't even remember. I didn't pay any attention and just did enough to pass. Then after I graduated and started looking into cryptography and related areas I realised just how relevant and fascinating those areas of maths are.
    I certainly never thought I'd have any respect for Riemann (sp?) summations.
    To get an idea of what I'm talking about I'd recommend reading Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. It shows (imho) how maths is an underlying part of life and in particular of computer science.
    I wish I'd paid attention back then in college. If only I'd known .....


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  • #7
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,555 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    heh, cool
    a friend of mine has had that "chaos" book for ages, he bought it in easons on o'connell street, and he finally gave it on loan to me yesterday :)
    what a coincidence or something, haven't started it yet
    have "the code book" http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1857028899/o/qid=995317357/sr=2-4/ref=sr_sp_bow_1_4/202-3283817-3988636
    to get through before I can read anything else
    should be interesting anyway


  • #8
    Bob the Unlucky Octopus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,136 ✭✭✭Bob the Unlucky Octopus


    The Code Book is a fantastic read for anyone who cares to give it a go. A great popular look at cryptography over history, and a good scientific approach to code-breaking in the latter part of the book. Certainly something that (Jeraal?) Mordeth (and any other person, Wheel of Time fan or no biggrin.gif) would enjoy going through. For people interested in mythical alarmism with a scientific algorhythmic base...try "The Bible Code" by Michael Drosnin. Hollywood sort of approach- but the quasi-scientific/mythical approach kind of appealed to me...perhaps I'm growing gullible in my old age smile.gif

    Bob the Unlucky Octopus


  • #9
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,555 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    heh, I rarely use Jeraal
    unless Mordeth is already taken where I'm trying to sign in.
    hrm.. I saw the bible code in the bookshop where I bought the code book, but I had very little money and needed some change for a few pints that night :)
    might give it more than a glance next time I see it, although I doubt I will have any money to buy it for a while..
    I have been forced into saying I will go out every fri and sat for the next 2, 3 weeks
    *sigh*


  • #10
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Big Simon Singh fan aren't we Bob? lol biggrin.gif

    Couldn't agree more with your choice of books, all are nice and readable, plus any of simon singh's books are written at a very basic level, which can be very nice if you're looking for an introduction to an area he has covered.

    Hey deRanged, do you remember Des McHale? and his superbrain, lol smile.gif Only about 5 out of a hundred computer science students kept on honours math this year. Strange, normally more do it.


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