Bunch takes an unusual and compelling approach to describing what makes certain numbers both unique and essential for mental calculation. In the same way that detailed bird illustrations aid birdwatchers, ‘The Kingdom of Infinite Number’ is a field guide to commonly encountered 'species' of numbers that illuminate unusual mathematical patterns and relationships. Each number is described in terms of field marks, similar species, personality and associations. Other numerical topics of interest to maths fans, such as triangular or fibonacci numbers and the meaning of infinity, are interspersed.
Content:
A Taxonomic Note (Preface)
Numbers and the Mind/Numbers and Writing (Introduction)
I. COUNTING NUMBERS
Genus’ Natural’
Prime family
Triangular family
Square family
Pythagorean family
Pascal's triangle
Mersenne numbers
Cubic family
The decimal system
Denominate numbers
Fibonacci family
Factorials
Powers of two
II. RATIONAL NUMBERS
Genus’ Integral’
Zero the hero
Genus ‘Rational’
Decimal fractions
Infinite decimals
percent
Ratio and proportion
III. REAL NUMBERS
Algebraic family
Irrational family
Genus ‘Real’
Transcendental family
IV. COMPLEX NUMBERS
Genus ‘Complex’
The end of the line
Accidentals: Rarely encountered giants
V. KINGDOM INFINITIES
Limits
Infinity
Tables
Home Reference Suggestions
Index
Content:
A Taxonomic Note (Preface)
Numbers and the Mind/Numbers and Writing (Introduction)
I. COUNTING NUMBERS
Genus’ Natural’
Prime family
Triangular family
Square family
Pythagorean family
Pascal's triangle
Mersenne numbers
Cubic family
The decimal system
Denominate numbers
Fibonacci family
Factorials
Powers of two
II. RATIONAL NUMBERS
Genus’ Integral’
Zero the hero
Genus ‘Rational’
Decimal fractions
Infinite decimals
percent
Ratio and proportion
III. REAL NUMBERS
Algebraic family
Irrational family
Genus ‘Real’
Transcendental family
IV. COMPLEX NUMBERS
Genus ‘Complex’
The end of the line
Accidentals: Rarely encountered giants
V. KINGDOM INFINITIES
Limits
Infinity
Tables
Home Reference Suggestions
Index