Author(s): Derrick Niederman

Science

A compulsively readable look at the secret language of numbersa their role in nature, movies, science, and everything in between.
What do "Fight Club," wallpaper patterns, George Balanchineas "Serenade," and Italian superstitions have in common? Theyare all included in the entry for the number 17 in this engaging book about numbersa detailing their unique properties, patterns, appeal, history, and lore.
Author Derrick Niederman takes readers on a guided tour of the numbers 1 to 300acovering everything from basic mathematical principles to ancient unsolved theorems, from sublime theory to delightfully arcane trivia.
Illustrated with diagrams, drawings, and photographs, plus 50 challenging mathematical brainteasers (with answers), this book will fascinate and engage readers of all levels of mathematical skill and knowledge. Includes such gems as:
a[ There are 42 eyes in a deck of cards, and 42 dots on a pair of dice
a[ In order to fill in a map so that neighboring regions never get the same color, one never needs more than four colors
a[ Hells Angels use the number 81 in their insignia because the initials aHa and aAa are the eighth and first numbers in the alphabet respectively