Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction

• A concise explanation of the differences between advanced mathematics and what we learn at school
• Offers the reader an insight into such seemingly paradoxical concepts as infinity, the square root of minus one, and curved space
• Tackles the sociological questions that arise regarding the mathematical community - e.g. 'Do mathematicians burn out at the age of 25?'
• Clear and non-technical language throughout
• The author received a Fields Medal for Mathematics in 1998, awarded for 'the most daring, profound and stimulating research done by young mathematicians'

Readership: People who regret not learning more mathematics; people who are fascinated by popular science books, but are left wishing they understood them better; people contemplating doing a mathematics-related degree; people who would like to talk about mathematics in an informed way without having to learn technical details.

Timothy Gowers, Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics, Cambridge University

"a marvellously lucid guide to the beauty and mystery of numbers" - Gilbert Adair

1: Models
2: Numbers and Abstraction
3: Proofs
4: Limits and Infinity
5: Dimension
6: Geometry
7: Estimates and Approximates
8: Frequently Asked Questions