Joy of X, The: A Guided Tour of Mathematics, from One to Infinity Paperback – 6 March 2014

The challenge with non-textbook mathematics is to guess whether I am the the right reader for this. And when the subject is maths, many would turn away from it by mere mention of the name.This book, to a significant extent, can be enjoyed by Grade 9th and above students and all adults who have some fascination for maths. Even if you have no fascination for maths, you would not regret reading this book.Infinity, series, primes, calculus, trigonometry, geometrical shapes like ellipse, parabola, hyperbola are explained in a very simple terms. Added to it are some knowledge I didn't have previously like Google's search algorithms explained in a really simple language. Complex numbers, topology, magic of exponential e were some the topics that really enlightened me; to add to it 3 D geometry.How sin in trigonometry is related to sine wave was indeed a lesson for me after so many years :-)How Archimedes arrived at the approximate value of Pi is very well explained with diagrams. I wish author would have included how Egyptians were able to arrive to the figure as close as to 3.16 !!A very interesting read. It is amazing how author puts the complex subject in such a lucid language well supported by illustrations wherever needed.This is the way one should look at Maths..an inquiry into the surrounding. Mathematics is an abstraction of the illusive visible world around us!!Believe me.. reading a book on maths is just a fun, when you don't have to give exam on it :-)

My main purpose in buying this book was to create within myself a hunger for mathematics. I was previously acquainted with this wonderful subject, but due to life and choices I had drifted away from it. Recently, due to certain requirements, I have gotten back into the great depths of numbers. It has been a wonderful experience and The Joy of X is one such book that thoroughly whets ones appetite. It was "unputdownable" and every chapter revealed new concepts and ideas that intrigued me further. It was exactly what I wanted- a basic understanding of the scope of mathematics and its real world applications. In addition to that, the author also provides references and further reading recommendations for each topic. In my opinion, math as a subject has no limits. It creates such grand designs and patterns that we can only stare at it in awe. "Nature knows calculus" - such a lovely sentiment and the book is full of these tidbits that can give any reader the adrenaline to learn more.This book is great for beginners and savants alike. Since it focuses on ideas and concepts, it can be read from any chapter, and each chapter is a trove of information that can appreciated in a stand-alone manner.

Good book i have read it more than half...It gives great fun loving mathamatical experiment in 1 st part of book, History related to counting system is revealed.....If u have spare time and interest in maths u can raed this book and Even u can lough on zome content provided in the book...My favourite chapter is love me or love me not...

The books tries to convey the deep abstruse concepts of maths while teh approach keeps one firmly in the elementary level of understanding. A good rood specialy for maths/science enthusiasts

Simple work of a genius, elegantly written to generate more interest and curiosity for both adults and kids , highly recommended

Just read it, it is a fun book.

The joy of X by Steven Strogatz should be a beginner book for anyone who is fond of real mathematics. The book clearly shows what is a normal mathematics book lacks. They lack the soul of Mathematics. Mathematics is the language of the Universe. It is very sad the mathematics they teach in school and university is nowhere close to this Universal Language.Here are the key points and what I have learned from the book.1.Starting from the rock How our ancestors started counting2.The patterns of the number in war and friendship of enemies.3.How complex numbers come in the mathematical Scene.4.How the number of workers and the hour problem works.5.How the fountain’s parabola follows the quadratic equation.6.How with the ellipse’s geometry help in designing a billiard’s table on which whatever shoot you take it is going to get into the hole.7. How periodic motion has sin and cos function be it the time of sunrise, the time of sunset.8.How the value of pie calculated.9. How ‘e’ the exponential function become the playboy of mathematics.10.How suddenly the internet’s data boom makes the Statistics the new hero in the town.11.How normal distribution tells about the lies of people while dating.12.How google page rank works in laymen terms13.How the love affair between you and your partner is just a sin and cos function (push and pull technique)4/5 grab if you have an interest in mathematics and you didn’t do well in school. The book will make you love mathematics.Cons:I think the price is a bit higher than it deserves

The way maths is introduced linking to day today life with puzzle like examples makes this book interesting and readable.