Seventeen Equations That Changed the World

This is a unique history of humanity told through its seventeen defining equations; from Pythagoras to Calculus. From Newton's Law of Gravity to the Black-Scholes model used by bankers to predict the markets, equations, are everywhere - and they are fundamental to everyday life. In "Seventeen Equations that Changed the World", acclaimed mathematician Ian Stewart sets out seventeen groundbreaking equations that have altered the course of human history. He explores how Pythagoras' Theorem led to GPS and SatNav; how logarithms are applied in architecture; why imaginary numbers were important in the development of the digital camera, and what is really going on with Schrodinger's cat. Entertaining, surprising and vastly informative, "Seventeen Equations that Changed the World" is a highly original exploration - and explanation - of life on earth.

Ian Stewart is a Mathematics Professor at Warwick University. His many books include Mathematics of Life [9781846681981], Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities [9781846683459], and The Science of Discworld trilogy with Terry Pratchett. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, appears frequently on radio and television, and does research on pattern formation and network dynamics.