Numb and Number
How to Avoid Being Mystified by the Mathematics of Modern Life
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Atlantic Books
Published:5th Nov '20
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'A wise, witty and insightful guide to clear thinking amid a deluge of percentages and probabilities.' Ian Stewart
Like it or not, our lives are dominated by mathematics. Our daily diet of news regales us with statistical forecasts, opinion polls, risk assessments, inflation figures, weather and climate predictions and all sorts of political decisions and advice backed up by supposedly accurate numbers. Most of us do not even pause and question such figures even to ask what they really mean and whether they raise more questions than they answer.
In this simple guide for anyone numbed by numbers, William Hartston reveals with clarity and humour why the figures being flung at us may not tell the whole story. Along the way he explains commonly misused mathematical terms, solves everyday mathematical problems and shows how to steer a safe path through the minefield of mathematics that surrounds us.
If you're not one of the lucky few who can say, "Oh, mathematics was my best subject at school," then you might find yourself stumped by the news, or personal finance, or chaos and catastrophe (yes, William Hartston shows us there's maths involved there, too). Luckily, Numb and Number is able to explain these things and more, in a way that's easy to understand and even enjoyable to read. * BBC Science Focus *
A wise, witty, and insightful guide to clear thinking amid a deluge of percentages and probabilities. Learn to spot the fake formulas and the spurious statistics. Up to 100% of readers will find this book utterly fascinating. Recommended by 92.53% of mathematicians. -- Ian Stewart, author of Do Dice Play God?
ISBN: 9781838950842
Dimensions: 216mm x 135mm x 20mm
Weight: 461g
288 pages
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