IntMath Newsletter: No cost math books, math in art, Manga Guide review
By Murray Bourne, 15 Aug 2012
15 Aug 2012
In this Newsletter:
1. Resource: free math textbooks
2. Math in Art - Bridges 2012
3. Manga Guide to Linear Algebra review
4. F1gur471v31y 5p34k1ng?
5. Math puzzles
5. Friday math movie
6. Final thought - a 2-letter approach to life
1. Resource: Zero cost math textbooks
Here is a great collection of freely available math books, mostly in PDF form:
Free Textbooks in Mathematics (It appears these have disappeared)
The topics are mostly college-level, but there are some books suitable for high school. The books are about:
- General Mathematics
- Number Theory
- Algebra and Algebraic Geometry
- Topology
- Analysis
- Geometry
- Mathematical Physics
- Probability Theory
- Applied Mathematics
- History of Mathematics
- Writing Mathematics
Near the bottom of that page there are links to "Other Lists" of similar no-cost books.
2. Math in art: The Bridges Organization
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The Bridges Organization brings together math and art. They run a yearly conference which includes a math art exhibition. Here's an overview of the 2012 conference from Mathmunch: |
3. Manga Guide to Linear Algebra - review
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This Manga Guide may not be as well-executed as earlier books in the series, but it still makes a good read. |
4. F1gur471v31y 5p34k1ng?
Here's a bit of fun I received in my mail recently.
7H15 M3554G3
53RV35 7O PR0V3
H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N
D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5!
1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5!
1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG
17 WA5 H4RD BU7
N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3
Y0UR M1ND 1S
R34D1NG 17
4U70M471C4LLY
W17H0U7 3V3N
7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17.
B3 PROUD! 0NLY
C3R741N CL3V3R
P30PL3 C4N
R3AD 7H15.
5. Math puzzles
In the last mail I challenged you with 2 puzzles.
(a) The first puzzle involved a question about tennis. Guido answered it correctly!
(b) The second puzzle involved a constrained data model. I posed that challenge because earlier I'd received a mail from a 78 year-old reader who proposed such a model. The following article tells the story and outlines his model.
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Constrained data model - solution(?) A reader recently sent me an interesting data model that he once used in his work. The model fulfills his constraints, but is not very versatile. |
(c) New puzzle: One thousand dollars is divided between Percy, Quincy and Robby as follows. Percy gets $1, Quincy gets $2, Robby gets $3, then Percy gets $4, Quincy gets $5, and so on. How much does Quincy get? Please answer here.
Please note: I will only publish solutions that show reasoning!
6. Friday math movie: The greatest (math) machine that never was
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Charles Babbage designed a mechanical, steam-powered "computer" in the 1830s. Here's the story. |
7. Final thought - a 2-letter approach to life
A confident person doesn't need big words to express their way of going about things:
"If it is to be, it is up to me."
Until next time, enjoy whatever you learn.
See the 10 Comments below.
