How Math Explains the World: A Guide to the Power of Numbers, from Car Repair to Modern Physics

by James D. Stein

In How Math Explains the World , mathematician Stein reveals how seemingly arcane mathematical investigations and discoveries have led to bigger, more world-shaking insights into the nature of our world. In the four main sections of the book, Stein tells the stories of the mathematical thinkers who discerned some of the most fundamental aspects of our universe. From their successes and failures, delusions, and even duels, the trajectories of their innovations—and their impact on society—are traced in this fascinating narrative. Quantum mechanics, space-time, chaos theory and the workings of complex systems, and the impossibility of a "perfect" democracy are all here. Stein's book is both mind-bending and practical, as he explains the best way for a salesman to plan a trip, examines why any thought you could have is imbedded in the number π , and—perhaps most importantly—answers one of the modern world's toughest why the garage can never get your car repaired on time. Friendly, entertaining, and fun, How Math Explains the World is the first book by one of California's most popular math teachers, a veteran of both "math for poets" and Princeton's Institute for Advanced Studies. And it's perfect for any reader wanting to know how math makes both science and the world tick.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mathematics, Science, Economics, Physics

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Dr. James D. Stein graduated from Yale in 1962 with a BA in mathematics and received his PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in 1967. He is the author of more than 30 research articles on mathematics and the co-author of textbooks on mathematics and strategic management, as well as several books on mathematics and science for the general public. He has served on state and nationwide panels on mathematics education, blogged for Psychology Today and the Huffington Post. It was during the writing of How Math Explains the World that he had the idea that led to his writing The Paranormal Equation.

Reviews

[Michael Grizer (He-Him) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. He covers a wide variety of interesting math topics. No need to know any math beyond hs algebra.

[Jenny GB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about half of this book and then decided I couldn't read anymore. It's not that it was all bad, butI felt that it jumped around too much and the thesis of explaining the world really wasn't coming through for me. In fact, it seemed like more of the opposite and Stein was continually explaining what math couldn't do or what physics couldn't fully explain. Frequently the historical information about mathematicians was entertaining and several of Stein's examples to illustrate the math or science were well explained and interesting. However, the depth of math and science required without illuminating the broader purpose or application of most of these techniques did it in for me in the end. I guess I wanted more examples and real life application and less abstract ideas and this wasn't giving it to me.

[Larry Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had calculus through the first course on differential equations and infinite series, and a course in statistics (many decades ago), but many of the references are beyond my education and/or memory and understanding. However, I still found the the topics and ideas to be very interesting, even if I can't follow all the details. I found the author's writing to be engaging and friendly, and not at all condescending. I believe that many people with less math and science background than I will enjoy the insight that the author gives into the role math plays in so many aspects of our world. People with more advanced backgrounds in mathematics should be able to enjoy it even more.

[Steve Wegman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mathematician explains math in its theoretical and real-world applications from quantum mechanics to auto repair scheduling to counting votes. He's a good writer who does a pretty good job of making the mathematics he's thinking about followable. Admittedly, I didn't track through every equation in the book, but much of it I did and his explanations and applications made sense.

[Ronda Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting more of a layman's look at how math explains the world. You have to really think to make sense of the ideas presented. I really enjoyed the part on elections and why a purely democratic approach doesn't work.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dipped in and out. Got a bit bored.

[The_J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Numbers underlie our reality, are you willing to open your eyes in order to see?

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was presented in exactly the way I like pop-math books to be written--with loads of pop-science examples. The math involved was just the right proportion of actual equations and examples, without reminding one too much of the text book she ought to be working from instead of reading popular books. As an overarching thesis, of course, the book is concerned with mathematics as a model--examples such as the Traveling Salesman Problem, Instant Runoff Voting, and the thermodynamics of melting ice abound--but Stein also isn't limited by his thesis. Meaning that he gives plenty of weight to Cantor's infinities, Godel's incompleteness, and other lofty mathematical ideas. Therefore, what makes this book superior to other pop-math books is that Stein interweaves the ideas of topology with relativity, gives dramatic historical anecdotes about solving cubic polynomials, and generally presents mathematics in some interesting or amusing context.

Not that math isn't already interesting and amusing, but cookies are better with chocolate chips.

I highly recommend this book for your daily requirement of analytical thinking.

[Cbpax · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT light reading but a good read for Math/Science.
I thought it would be helpful for teaching Math next year but I have found better History of Math books. I did find a wealth of quotes I liked though and some thought provoking chapters. Of course Math doesn't explain ALL of life/the world. Like why my internet connection breaks down at the most inconvenient times or why some people dislike cats. Random things. Of course the people who want to win in Las Vegas should understand probability. And we all need to know how to balance the checkbook and pay taxes. Soon we can just send the paycheck to Washington and be done with it..
I liked the chapters on Quantum physics but I'm weird that way. Most won't like those chapters.

[Collin Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an odd layout of information. There were some interesting concepts here and there, but I found myself having a hard time staying interested in the majority. The concepts were easy enough to understand without having taken anything higher than calculus. I would recommend this to people who have nothing better to do and have a basic interest in how mathematics is integrated into everyday things.

[Beth639 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good popular math book but not as readable as some. Not as connected to "explaining the world" as the title implies. I thought I was going to get connections I could share with my high school class but came up short. Good overview of mathematical advances though.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never fully got the organization of this book, but I enjoyed the variety of math issues considered, even if I didn't learn to solve any of them. The theme seems to be a look at the Clay Mathematics Institutes seven critical problems with an offer of $1Million for each solution.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book dedicated to all those who had a very bad math teacher in high school and who never understood why they have been taught logs and probabilities. A nice summary with unexpected "mathy" jokes about the development of mathematics.

[Corin]

I really enjoyed this book. It started slooowly, but once I got into it, I had a lot of fun reading it. It also got my teenaged daughter interested in mathematical concepts (not just calculations)... very cool!

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shows how math is important and essential for a variety of things: physics, why your car takes forever to repair at the auto shop, etc. Some examples are surprising! Accessible to curious people who finished high school math.

[Christiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a reason I wasn't a math or physics major.

[MikeFromQueens · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some interesting chapters in the book, though it was heavier on modern physics than the other, readily accessible areas of the world we actually interact with.

[David02139 · Rating 3 out of 5]

From what I know of math and physics, a good overview of open questions and how math and physics are similar

[Ami Iida · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is a good book but is too redundancy ...............

[Angular Orange]

Fantastic book!