Things To Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension: A Mathematician's Journey Through Narcissistic Numbers, Optimal Dating Algorithms, at Least Two Kinds of Infinity, and More

If you don't believe that mathematics can be fun you should read this book. Parker, a mathematician and stand up comic, takes the reader on an entertaining voyage through many recreational topics. These include some more or less familiar aspects of number theory but also polygonal numbers, packing problems, graph theory, and computer logic and algorithms. The fascinating excursions into geometry and topology including discussions of noncircular wheels, knot theory, and the geometry of four-dimensional objects are especially noteworthy. Throughout the text, subjects are enhanced by clever problems that immediately grab one's attention. The writing style is friendly, humorous, and relaxed as the author reveals the problems' solutions. Parker makes it sound easy, even when it is not, and some of the material can be pretty heavy going. However, most important, he reveals the social aspects of the field, describing his interactions with other mathematicians as they bounce problems around, challenging one another's imaginations.