Numericon

Packed with quirky, informative facts and bound in a beautiful foil-blocked cover, this book will do for math what The Etymologicon did for the English language.   Numericon is a tour through the world of mathematics via the familiar stepping-stones of numbers.  A treasure-trove of fascinating details, Numericon tells the stories of the numbers, mathematical discoveries, oddities and personalities that have shaped the way we understand the world around us. The multiple meanings of numbers and their often-mathematical significance are uncovered in this concise and captivating volume.   Each chapter is an intriguing story about a number—including why 12 is a sublime number, why 13 is unlucky and 7 lucky, and how imaginary numbers hold up buildings.   Each chapter starts with a number that points the reader toward fascinating features in the mathematical landscape—including why 12 is a sublime number, why 13 is unlucky and 7 lucky, and how imaginary numbers hold up buildings. Each chapter includes stories of ancient mathematicians and recent ground-breaking results, applications that affect all our lives and most importantly, the beauty and power of mathematics.