The Jungles of Randomness: A Mathematical Safari

by Ivars Peterson

"Peterson's knowledge of and affection for mathematics comes through with every word."--San Diego Union Tribune.

"Peterson is, in short, the math teacher everyone wishes they had in high school."--Publishers Weekly.

"Peterson has honed his explanatory skills finely. He is a readable guide through the tangles of probability and random chance. The Jungles of Randomness will give some insight into one of the most fruitful areas where math meets practical living."--Christian Science Monitor.

The delightful trek through the exotic and powerful world of randomness.

Popular math author Ivars Peterson leads readers on an exciting foray into the wilds of randomness, introducing exciting new discoveries--from hidden rules governing games of chance to how the first molecules of life formed and how random numbers can protect sensitive information on the Internet. Along the way, he charts the ambiguous boundary between order and chaos, revealing the astonishing patterns so often hidden in apparent randomness as well as the startling randomness often embedded in apparent order.

Ivars Peterson (Washington, D.C.) is the mathematics and physics editor at Science News and the author of four previous trade books, including The Mathematical Tourist and Islands of A Mathematical Mystery Cruise.

Genres: Mathematics, Science, Nonfiction, Theory, Number

Hardcover

First published October 3, 1997

Reviews

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

While much of what Peterson writes in The Jungles of Randomness is fascinating, it suffers from two fundamental problems. The first is that its structure and overarching thesis tends to be somewhat unclear early on. While, generally, as one progresses, it becomes clearer that this considers the links between randomness and determinism, humanity's ability to detect 'true' randomness, and the like, this is far from obvious when Peterson discusses e.g. the process of formation of virus cell walls. A well-written introduction would have done much to alleviate this problem, but for now, all I can recommend about this is that the reader starts on page 197, reads to the end, and then starts at the beginning.

The second problem is that there is no obvious methodology in chapter selection and/or order. There are certainly more examples of perceived randomness in the world today than there is room for in the book, but I never felt there was a strong reason for choosing the ones mentioned. Indeed, with little to transition from one chapter to the next, it reads in an extremely stream-of-consciousness manner at times.

Thus, while the content is interesting, perhaps mathematicians writing books aimed at the layperson should consider asking for more editorial input at an earlier stage.

[Sven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining book, with interesting examples. I'd recommend it for people who like mathematics and enjoy science.

[Don Gubler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, informative and interesting.