From the acclaimed author of "A tour of the calculus" and "The advent of the algorithm" comes a riveting look at mathematics that reveals a hidden world in some of its most fundamental concepts.

"A former Wall Street quantitative analyst sounds an alarm on mathematical modeling, a pervasive new force in society that threatens to undermine democracy and widen inequality,"--NoveList.

"A math-whiz from a trailer park discovers she's the only student capable of unravelling complex clues left by a serial killer who's systematically getting rid of her classmates"--

Presents an accessible, in-depth look at the history of numbers and their applications in life and science, from math's surreal presence in the virtual world to the debates about the role of math in science.

"A spirited, metaphysical exploration into math's deepest mysteries and conundrums at the crux of middle age"--

"Bertrand Russell wrote that mathematics can exalt "as surely as poetry." This is especially true of one equation: ei(pi) + 1 = 0, the brainchild of Leonhard Euler, the Mozart of mathematics. More than two centuries after Euler's death, it is still regarded as a conceptual diamond of unsurpassed beauty. Called Euler's identity or God's equation, it includes just five numbers but represents an astonishing revelation of hidden connections. It ties together...

"In this book, David Sumpter takes an algorithm-strewn journey to the dark side of mathematics. He investigates the equations that analyse us., influence us and will (maybe) become like us, answering questions such as: Are Google algorithms racist and sexist? ; Why do election predictions fall so drastically? ; What does the future hold as we relinquish our decision-making to machines? Featuring interviews with those working at the cutting edge of...

This annual anthology brings together the year's finest mathematics writing from around the world-and you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy the pieces collected here. These essays-from leading names and fresh new voices-delve into the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday aspects of math, offering surprising insights into its nature, meaning, and practice, and taking readers behind the scenes of today's hottest mathematical debates....