Mathographics

by Robert Dixon

"A wealth of intriguing and lovely ideas." — Information Technology & Learning.
While the beauty of mathematics is often discussed, the aesthetic appeal of the discipline is seldom demonstrated as clearly as in this intriguing journey into the realms where art and mathematics merge. Aimed at a wide range of ages and abilities, this engrossing book explores the possibilities of mathematical drawing through compass constructions and computer graphics.
Compass construction is an extremely ancient art, requiring no special skills other than the care it takes to place a compass point accurately. For the computer graphics part of the present work, however, readers will need some familiarity with basic high school mathematics-mainly algebra and trigonometry. Still, much of the book can be enjoyed even by "mathophobes," for it is about lines and circles and how to put them together to make various patterns, both abstract and natural.
One hundred and six full-page drawings, ranging from totally abstract to somewhat pictorial, demonstrate the possibilities of mathematical drawing and serve as inspiration to readers to carry out their own creative investigations. Among the illustrations are such intriguing configurations as a five-point egg, golden ratio, 17-gon, plughole vortex, blancmange curve, Durer's pentagons, pentasnow, turtle geometry, and many more. In guiding students toward the comprehension and creation of such figures, the author explains helpful basic principles (of number, length and angle) as well as reviewing relevant fundamentals of trigonometry. In addition, he has provided numerous useful exercises (with answers} at the ends of the chapters, together with recommended further reading, detailed in the bibliography. 211 black-and-white illustrations. Bibliography. Index.

Genres: Art Design, Mathematics

224 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1991

About the author

My interests lie mainly in Art and history both as a life-long passion and education. I also have three websites although they look after themselves, mostly.
I never consider myself as a writer I only write down what I find in research.
I have five published books, one well out of print, and three published on Kindle with a further two on the way.
I spend my spare time out in the countryside, mainly the wilder areas. For relaxation I normally read fiction to get away as far as possible from my non fiction pursuits.

Reviews

[Wendell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool pictures. Wish I understood the math better.