Nice Numbers

In this intriguing book, John Barnes takes us on a journey through aspects of numbers much as he took us on a geometrical journey in Gems of Geometry. Similarly originating from a series of lectures for adult students at Reading and Oxford University, this book touches a variety of amusing and fascinating topics regarding numbers and their uses both ancient and modern. The author informs and intrigues his audience with both fundamental number topics such as prime numbers and cryptography, and themes of daily needs and pleasures such as counting one's assets, keeping track of time, and enjoying music. Puzzles and exercises at the end of each lecture offer additional inspiration, and numerous illustrations accompany the reader. Furthermore, a number of appendices provides in-depth insights into diverse topics such as Pascal's triangle, the Rubik cube, Mersenne's curious keyboards, and many others. A theme running through is the thought of what is our favourite number. Written in an engaging and witty style and requiring only basic school mathematical knowledge, this book will appeal to both young and mature readers fascinated by the curiosities of numbers. In this intriguing book, John Barnes takes us on a journey through aspects of numbers much as he took us on a geometrical journey in Gems of Geometry. Similarly originating from a series of lectures for adult students at Reading and Oxford University, this book touches a variety of amusing and fascinating topics regarding numbers and their uses both ancient and modern. The author intrigues and challenges his audience with both fundamental number topics such as prime numbers and cryptography, and themes of daily needs and pleasures such as counting one's assets, keeping track of time, and enjoying music. Puzzles and exercises at the end of each lecture offer additional inspiration, and numerous illustrations accompany the reader. Furthermore, a number of appendices provides in-depth insights into diverse topics such as Pascal's triangle, the Rubik cube, Mersenne's curious keyboards, and many others. A theme running through is the thought of what is our favourite number. Written in an engaging and witty style and requiring only basic school mathematical knowledge, this book will appeal to both young and mature readers fascinated by the curiosities of numbers Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Measures....Pages 1-23 Amicable Numbers....Pages 25-42 Probability....Pages 43-67 Fractions....Pages 69-96 Time....Pages 97-114 Notations....Pages 115-135 Bells....Pages 137-160 Primes....Pages 161-177 Music....Pages 179-204 Finale....Pages 205-225 Ackermann....Pages 227-230 Pascal’s Triangle....Pages 231-237 Stochastics....Pages 239-244 Polydivisibility....Pages 245-248 Groups....Pages 249-263 Rubik....Pages 265-285 Differences....Pages 287-293 Chinese Remainders....Pages 295-302 Mersenne....Pages 303-323 Back Matter....Pages 325-329