Coincidences, chaos, and all that math jazz : making light of weighty ideas

An Explanation Of Challenging Puzzles Within The World Of Mathematics Considers Such Topics As The Link Between A Pineapple's Spirals And The Famous Fibonacci Numbers, And The Shape Of The Universe As Reflected By A Twisted Strip Of Paper. Understanding Uncertainty : Coincidences -- Chaos, And Confusion -- Unbridled Coincidences : Likelihood, Lady Luck, And Lady Love -- Chaos Reigns : Why We Can't Predict The Future -- Digesting Life's Data : Statistical Surprises -- Embracing Figures: Sensing Secrecy -- Magnificent Magnitudes, And Nature's Numbers -- Secrets Held, Secrets Revealed : Cryptography Decrypted -- Sizing Up Numbers : How Many? How Big? How Quick? -- A Synergy Between Nature And Number : A Search For -- Pattern -- Exploring Aesthetics: Sexy Rectangles -- Fiery Fractals, And Contortions Of Space -- From Precise Beauty To Pure Chaos: Picturing Aesthetics -- Through The Lens Of Mathematics -- Origami For The Origamically Challenged: From Paper Folding -- To Computers And Fiery Fractals -- A Twisted Turn In An Amorphous Universe: An Exploration Of -- An Elasticized World -- Transcending Reality: The Fourth -- Dimension And Infinity -- The Universe Next Door: The Magic Of The Fourth Dimension -- Moving Beyond The Confines Of Our Nutshell: A Journey Into -- Infinity -- In Search Of Something Still Larger: A Journey Beyond -- Infinity. Edward B. Burger & Michael Starbird ; Original Illustrations By Alan Witschonke. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [269]) And Index. Opening Thoughts /vii Part I / UNDERSTANDING UNCERTAINTY / Coincidences, chaos and Confusion / 1 1- / UNBRIDLED COINCIDENCES / Likelihood, Lady Luck, and Lady Love / 3 2- / CHAOS REIGNS/ Why We Can't Predict the Future / 20 3- / DIGESTING LIFE'S DATA / Statistical Surprises / 42 Part-II / EMBRACING FIGURES / Sensing Secrecy, Magnificent Magnitudes, and Nature's Numbers / 63 4- / SECRETS HELD, SECRETS REVEALED / Cryptography Decrypted / 65 5- / SIZING UP NUMBERS /How many? How Big? How Quick / 78 6- / A SYNERGY BETWEEN NATURE AND NUMBER / A Search for Pattern / 100 Part III / EXPLORING AESTHETICS / Sexy Rectangles, Fiery Fractals, and Contortions of Space / 121 7- / FROM PRECISE BEAUTY TO PURE CHAOS / Picturing Aesthetics Through the Lens of Mathematics / 123 8- / ORIGAMI FOR THE ORIGAMICALLY CHALLENGED / From Paper Folding to Computers and Fiery Fractals / 146 9- / A TWISTED TURN IN AN AMORPHOUS UNIVERSE / An Exploration of an Elasticized World / 166 Part IV / TRANSCENDING REALITY / The Fourth Dimension and Infinity / 199 10- / THE UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR / The Magic of the Fourth Dimension / 201 11- / MOVING BEYOND THE CONFINES OF OUR NUTSHELL / A Journey to Infinity / 231 12- / IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING STILL LARGER / A Journey Beyond Infinity / 246 Closing Thoughts / 267 Acknowledgements / 268 Further Resources / 269 Permissions / 270 Index / 271 Contents 7 Opening Thoughts 9 Part I UNDERSTANDING UNCERTAINTY 13 Unbridled Coincidences Likelihood, Lady Luck, And Lady Love 15 Chaos Reigns Why We Can’t Predict The Future 32 Digesting Life’s Data Statistical Surprises 54 Part II Embracing Figures 75 Secrets Held, Secrets Revealed Cryptography Decrypted 77 Sizing Up Numbers How Many? How Big? How Quick? 90 A Synergy Between Nature And Number A Search For Pattern 112 PART III Exploring Aesthetics 133 From Precise Beauty To Pure Chaos Picturing Aesthetics Through The Lens Of Mathematics 135 Origami Forthe Origamically Challenged From Paper Folding To Computers And Fiery Fractals 158 A Twisted Turn In An Amorphous Universe An Exploration Of An Elasticized World 178 Part IV TRANSCENDING REALITY 211 The Universe Next Door The Magic Of The Fourth Dimension 213 Moving Beyond The Confines Of Our Nutshell A Journey Into Infinity 243 In Search Of Something Still Larger A Journey Beyond Infinity 258 Closing Thoughts 279 Acknowledgments 280 Further Resources 281 Permissions 282 Index 283 Coincidences,chaos,and all that math jazz A profusely illustrated, bemusingly unorthodox introduction to math. Booklist A book for the eternally curious, Coincidences fuses a professors understanding of the hidden mathematical skeleton of the universe with the sensibility of a stand-up comedian, making lifes big questions accessible and compelling. Each chapter opens with a surprising insightnot a mathematic formula, but a common observation. From there, the authors leapfrog over math and anecdote toward profound ideas about nature, art, and music. Coincidences is a book for lovers of puzzles and posers of outlandish questions, lapsed math aficionados and the formula-phobic alike. Applies puns and humorous scenarios to introduce math concepts people use in everyday life. Focuses on number topics such as the similarities between John Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln and playing the lottery. Features illustrations to describe the underlying math in nature, art, and music Obviously . . . Colored lights dance from spinning disco balls while sequined servers jiggle through the crowds plying the players with cash-loosening cocktails.