|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Most readers will have at least dim memories from geometry class of the irrational number pi. Theoretical astrophysicist Livio gives pi's overlooked cousin phi its due with this lively account, the first on the subject written for the layperson. Phi is the golden ratio of antiquity (1.6180339887), a never-ending number so lauded for its harmonious qualities that in the 16th century it was dubbed the divine proportion. It is related to phenomena as diverse as the petal arrangements of roses, the breeding patterns of rabbits and the shape of our galaxy. Phi is also claimed to have been crucial in the design of the Great Pyramids, the composition of the Mona Lisa and the construction of Stradivarius violins. Livio (The Accelerating Universe) carefully investigates these and other claims and does not hesitate to debunk myths perpetuated by overzealous enthusiasts he calls "Golden Numberists." This is an engaging history of mathematics as well, addressing such perennial questions as the geometric basis of aesthetic pleasure and the nature of mathematical objects. Useful diagrams and handsome illustrations of works under discussion are amply provided. Livio is gifted with an accessible, entertaining style: one typical chapter bounds within five pages from an extended discourse on prime numbers to a clever Oscar Wilde quote about beauty to an amusing anecdote about Samuel Beckett and finally to an eminently clear explanation of G"del's incompleteness theorem. With a guide to the history of ideas as impassioned as Livio, even the math-phobic can experience the shock and pleasure of scientific discovery. This thoroughly enjoyable work vividly demonstrates to the general reader that, as Galileo put it, the universe is, indeed, written in the language of mathematics.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Take something as simple as a line segment and mark it at just the right place. Looking at it with a mathematician's eye, an interesting relationship appears: the ratio between the whole line and the larger of the pieces it was broken into is the same as the ratio of the larger piece and smaller piece. Better known as "the golden ratio" or phi, 1.618- is a number that has fascinated humans for several hundred years, and people have claimed evidence of phi in all manner of things. Livio takes readers on a treasure hunt for phi from ancient times through the present. On the way, he debunks a number of popular myths (e.g., the notion that Mondrian used it in his abstract paintings) and does a wonderful job explaining the Fibonacci sequence and its relationship to phi. Small, black-and-white photos and reproductions demonstrate items mentioned in the text. While it may seem that the author wanders in his expositions, his excursions into history and number games add fun and depth for those who wish to follow. To get the most out of The Golden Ratio, it is best to have an understanding of algebra and basic trigonometry, although the book is great for general readers who don't mind working a little to gain a lot of understanding.
Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
The famous British physicist Lord Kelvin (William Thomson; 1824-1907), after whom the degrees in the absolute temperature scale are named, once said in a lecture: "When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
The famous British physicist Lord Kelvin (William Thomson; 1824-1907), after whom the degrees in the absolute temperature scale are named, once said in a lecture: "When you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind." Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent overview of the significant number,
By
This review is from: The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number (Paperback)
OK, I don't come across PHI as often as I come across e or pi. This book was nevertheless a fascinating read, even though (as one of the reviewers pointed out) Livio tries to talik about math and applications which can seem somewhat tedious at times.The books deserves five stars for the following things: 1. It's very well written (I read it in an afternoon) 2. It's informative and not too 'scientific' - you can understand it even if you're not good with numbers at all. 3. It's realistic - most books about this topic tend to be more fantasy than reality. Mario Livio has made sure that he debunks myths and relies only on well checked facts. - If you like popular science books don't miss this one, it's well worth your time.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
More like the Golden Bore,
By
This review is from: The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number (Paperback)
What a depressing book this turned out to be. I thought a book about the "golden section" would have been interesting but in the hands of Mario Livio it is pure pain. To give a few examples... The author discusses the theory that the golden ratio was used by the builders of the pyramids and refutes it easily. And then continues to refute it for page after page. Then he does the same thing with the Parthenon, destroying the theory using the exact same reasons he used for the pyramid, explaining them in the same level of detail. But he isn't done yet. We get to have the same discussion again when we look at Renaissance paintings. I didn't really care about the discussion when discussing the pyramids but by the time I heard the argument for the third time I was ready to find something else to read. As he discusses the history of the golden section he goes into side trips to discuss anyone who had even the slightest relationship with phi. Anyone who has never heard of Kepler may find this interesting even if it is irrelevant to phi but I just started skimming pages hoping for something a little meatier. There is a little spark here and there that kept me reading hoping for more but more never arrived. A writer with a greater interest in the mathematics of phi could have made this a fun and interesting book. Livio seems to think the math is boring so he avoids it like the plague and creates a book that completely misses the point and ends up being a total bore.
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Golden Ratio: A Critical View,
By
This review is from: The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World's Most Astonishing Number (Paperback)
A critical view of Phi, tracing mathematics from the pyramids to now. Particular attention is paid to Fibonacci numbers and Phi, both in natural occurrences such as patterns in the universe, plant life, and more, as well as man made occurrences.Funny that watching Numb3rs: Season 1 after reading this book destroyed the credibility of the math referenced in the show when the lead character mentioned The Golden Ratio being used in the Pyramids.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
