![]() |
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
|
Your cart is empty |
||
|
Books > Science & Mathematics > Mathematics > Mathematical foundations
From imaginary numbers to the fourth dimension and beyond, mathematics has always been about imagining things that seem impossible at first glance. In x+y, Eugenia Cheng draws on the insights of higher-dimensional mathematics to reveal a transformative new way of talking about the patriarchy, mansplaining and sexism: a way that empowers all of us to make the world a better place. Using precise mathematical reasoning to uncover everything from the sexist assumptions that make society a harder place for women to live to the limitations of science and statistics in helping us understand the link between gender and society, Cheng's analysis replaces confusion with clarity, brings original thinking to well worn arguments - and provides a radical, illuminating and liberating new way of thinking about the world and women's place in it.
We live in a world that is not quite "right." The central tenet of statistical inquiry is that Observation = Truth + Error because even the most careful of scientific investigations have always been bedeviled by uncertainty. Our attempts to measure things are plagued with small errors. Our attempts to understand our world are blocked by blunders. And, unfortunately, in some cases, people have been known to lie. In this long-awaited follow-up to his well-regarded bestseller, The Lady Tasting Tea, David Salsburg opens a door to the amazing widespread use of statistical methods by looking at historical examples of errors, blunders and lies from areas as diverse as archeology, law, economics, medicine, psychology, sociology, Biblical studies, history, and war-time espionage. In doing so, he shows how, upon closer statistical investigation, errors and blunders often lead to useful information. And how statistical methods have been used to uncover falsified data. Beginning with Edmund Halley's examination of the Transit of Venus and ending with a discussion of how many tanks Rommel had during the Second World War, the author invites the reader to come along on this easily accessible and fascinating journey of how to identify the nature of errors, minimize the effects of blunders, and figure out who the liars are.
'A wealth of examples to which solutions are given permeate the text so the reader will certainly be active.'The Mathematical GazetteThis is the final book written by the late great puzzle master and logician, Dr. Raymond Smullyan.This book is a sequel to my Beginner's Guide to Mathematical Logic.The previous volume deals with elements of propositional and first-order logic, contains a bit on formal systems and recursion, and concludes with chapters on Goedel's famous incompleteness theorem, along with related results.The present volume begins with a bit more on propositional and first-order logic, followed by what I would call a 'fein' chapter, which simultaneously generalizes some results from recursion theory, first-order arithmetic systems, and what I dub a 'decision machine.' Then come five chapters on formal systems, recursion theory and metamathematical applications in a general setting. The concluding five chapters are on the beautiful subject of combinatory logic, which is not only intriguing in its own right, but has important applications to computer science. Argonne National Laboratory is especially involved in these applications, and I am proud to say that its members have found use for some of my results in combinatory logic.This book does not cover such important subjects as set theory, model theory, proof theory, and modern developments in recursion theory, but the reader, after studying this volume, will be amply prepared for the study of these more advanced topics.
The latest volume in this major reference work covers all major areas of application of logic and theoretical computer science
With rapid progress in Internet and digital imaging technology, there are more and more ways to easily create, publish, and distribute images. Considered the first book to focus on the relationship between digital imaging and privacy protection, Visual Cryptography and Secret Image Sharing is a complete introduction to novel security methods and sharing-control mechanisms used to protect against unauthorized data access and secure dissemination of sensitive information. Image data protection and image-based authentication techniques offer efficient solutions for controlling how private data and images are made available only to select people. Essential to the design of systems used to manage images that contain sensitive data-such as medical records, financial transactions, and electronic voting systems-the methods presented in this book are useful to counter traditional encryption techniques, which do not scale well and are less efficient when applied directly to image files. An exploration of the most prominent topics in digital imaging security, this book discusses: Potential for sharing multiple secrets Visual cryptography schemes-based either on the probabilistic reconstruction of the secret image, or on different logical operations for combining shared images Inclusion of pictures in the distributed shares Contrast enhancement techniques Color-image visual cryptography Cheating prevention Alignment problems for image shares Steganography and authentication In the continually evolving world of secure image sharing, a growing number of people are becoming involved as new applications and business models are being developed all the time. This contributed volume gives academicians, researchers, and professionals the insight of well-known experts on key concepts, issues, trends, and technologies in this emerging field.
This careful selection of participant contributions reflects the focus of the 14th International Conference on Operator Theory, held in Timisoara (Romania) in June 1992, centering on the problems of extensions of operators and their connections with interpolation of analytic functions and with the spectral theory of differential operators. Other topics concern operator inequalities, spectral theory in general spaces and operator theory in Krein spaces.
Geometry for the Artist is based on a course of the same name which started in the 1980s at Maharishi International University. It is aimed both at artists willing to dive deeper into geometry and at mathematicians open to learning about applications of mathematics in art. The book includes topics such as perspective, symmetry, topology, fractals, curves, surfaces, and more. A key part of the book's approach is the analysis of art from a geometric point of view-looking at examples of how artists use each new topic. In addition, exercises encourage students to experiment in their own work with the new ideas presented in each chapter. This book is an exceptional resource for students in a general-education mathematics course or teacher-education geometry course, and since many assignments involve writing about art, this text is ideal for a writing-intensive course. Moreover, this book will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in connections between mathematics and art. Features Abundant examples of artwork displayed in full color. Suitable as a textbook for a general-education mathematics course or teacher-education geometry course. Designed to be enjoyed by both artists and mathematicians.
Geometry for the Artist is based on a course of the same name which started in the 1980s at Maharishi International University. It is aimed both at artists willing to dive deeper into geometry and at mathematicians open to learning about applications of mathematics in art. The book includes topics such as perspective, symmetry, topology, fractals, curves, surfaces, and more. A key part of the book's approach is the analysis of art from a geometric point of view-looking at examples of how artists use each new topic. In addition, exercises encourage students to experiment in their own work with the new ideas presented in each chapter. This book is an exceptional resource for students in a general-education mathematics course or teacher-education geometry course, and since many assignments involve writing about art, this text is ideal for a writing-intensive course. Moreover, this book will be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in connections between mathematics and art. Features Abundant examples of artwork displayed in full color. Suitable as a textbook for a general-education mathematics course or teacher-education geometry course. Designed to be enjoyed by both artists and mathematicians.
Computer arithmetic has become so fundamentally embedded into digital design that many engineers are unaware of the many research advances in the area. As a result, they are losing out on emerging opportunities to optimize its use in targeted applications and technologies. In many cases, easily available standard arithmetic hardware might not necessarily be the most efficient implementation strategy. Multiple-Base Number System: Theory and Applications stands apart from the usual books on computer arithmetic with its concentration on the uses and the mathematical operations associated with the recently introduced multiple-base number system (MBNS). The book identifies and explores several diverse and never-before-considered MBNS applications (and their implementation issues) to enhance computation efficiency, specifically in digital signal processing (DSP) and public key cryptography. Despite the recent development and increasing popularity of MBNS as a specialized tool for high-performance calculations in electronic hardware and other fields, no single text has compiled all the crucial, cutting-edge information engineers need to optimize its use. The authors' main goal was to disseminate the results of extensive design research-including much of their own-to help the widest possible audience of engineers, computer scientists, and mathematicians. Dedicated to helping readers apply discoveries in advanced integrated circuit technologies, this single reference is packed with a wealth of vital content previously scattered throughout limited-circulation technical and mathematical journals and papers-resources generally accessible only to researchers and designers working in highly specialized fields. Leveling the informational playing field, this resource guides readers through an in-depth analysis of theory, architectural techniques, and the latest research on the subject, subsequently laying the groundwork users require to begin applying MBNS.
Conditional reasoning is reasoning that involves statements of the sort If A (Antecedent) then C (Consequent). This type of reasoning is ubiquitous; everyone engages in it. Indeed, the ability to do so may be considered a defining human characteristic. Without this ability, human cognition would be greatly impoverished. "What-if" thinking could not occur. There would be no retrospective efforts to understand history by imagining how it could have taken a different course. Decisions that take possible contingencies into account could not be made; there could be no attempts to influence the future by selecting actions on the basis of their expected effects. Despite the commonness and importance of conditional reasoning and the considerable attention it has received from scholars, it remains the subject of much continuing debate. Unsettled questions, both normative and empirical, continue to be asked. What constitutes normative conditional reasoning? How do people engage in it? Does what people do match what would be expected of a rational agent with the abilities and limitations of human beings? If not, how does it deviate and how might people's ability to engage in it be improved? This book reviews the work of prominent psychologists and philosophers on conditional reasoning. It describes empirical research on how people deal with conditional arguments and on how conditional statements are used and interpreted in everyday communication. It examines philosophical and theoretical treatments of the mental processes that support conditional reasoning. Its extensive coverage of the subject makes it an ideal resource for students, teachers, and researchers with a focus on cognition across disciplines.
This is a systematic and well-paced introduction to mathematical logic. Excellent as a course text, the book presupposes only elementary background and can be used also for self-study by more ambitious students.Starting with the basics of set theory, induction and computability, it covers propositional and first order logic - their syntax, reasoning systems and semantics. Soundness and completeness results for Hilbert's and Gentzen's systems are presented, along with simple decidability arguments. The general applicability of various concepts and techniques is demonstrated by highlighting their consistent reuse in different contexts.Unlike in most comparable texts, presentation of syntactic reasoning systems precedes the semantic explanations. The simplicity of syntactic constructions and rules - of a high, though often neglected, pedagogical value - aids students in approaching more complex semantic issues. This order of presentation also brings forth the relative independence of syntax from the semantics, helping to appreciate the importance of the purely symbolic systems, like those underlying computers.An overview of the history of logic precedes the main text, while informal analogies precede introduction of most central concepts. These informal aspects are kept clearly apart from the technical ones. Together, they form a unique text which may be appreciated equally by lecturers and students occupied with mathematical precision, as well as those interested in the relations of logical formalisms to the problems of computability and the philosophy of logic.This revised edition contains also, besides many new exercises, a new chapter on semantic paradoxes. An equivalence of logical and graphical representations allows us to see vicious circularity as the odd cycles in the graphical representation and can be used as a simple tool for diagnosing paradoxes in natural discourse.
This is a systematic and well-paced introduction to mathematical logic. Excellent as a course text, the book presupposes only elementary background and can be used also for self-study by more ambitious students.Starting with the basics of set theory, induction and computability, it covers propositional and first order logic - their syntax, reasoning systems and semantics. Soundness and completeness results for Hilbert's and Gentzen's systems are presented, along with simple decidability arguments. The general applicability of various concepts and techniques is demonstrated by highlighting their consistent reuse in different contexts.Unlike in most comparable texts, presentation of syntactic reasoning systems precedes the semantic explanations. The simplicity of syntactic constructions and rules - of a high, though often neglected, pedagogical value - aids students in approaching more complex semantic issues. This order of presentation also brings forth the relative independence of syntax from the semantics, helping to appreciate the importance of the purely symbolic systems, like those underlying computers.An overview of the history of logic precedes the main text, while informal analogies precede introduction of most central concepts. These informal aspects are kept clearly apart from the technical ones. Together, they form a unique text which may be appreciated equally by lecturers and students occupied with mathematical precision, as well as those interested in the relations of logical formalisms to the problems of computability and the philosophy of logic.This revised edition contains also, besides many new exercises, a new chapter on semantic paradoxes. An equivalence of logical and graphical representations allows us to see vicious circularity as the odd cycles in the graphical representation and can be used as a simple tool for diagnosing paradoxes in natural discourse.
'A wealth of examples to which solutions are given permeate the text so the reader will certainly be active.'The Mathematical GazetteThis is the final book written by the late great puzzle master and logician, Dr. Raymond Smullyan.This book is a sequel to my Beginner's Guide to Mathematical Logic.The previous volume deals with elements of propositional and first-order logic, contains a bit on formal systems and recursion, and concludes with chapters on Goedel's famous incompleteness theorem, along with related results.The present volume begins with a bit more on propositional and first-order logic, followed by what I would call a 'fein' chapter, which simultaneously generalizes some results from recursion theory, first-order arithmetic systems, and what I dub a 'decision machine.' Then come five chapters on formal systems, recursion theory and metamathematical applications in a general setting. The concluding five chapters are on the beautiful subject of combinatory logic, which is not only intriguing in its own right, but has important applications to computer science. Argonne National Laboratory is especially involved in these applications, and I am proud to say that its members have found use for some of my results in combinatory logic.This book does not cover such important subjects as set theory, model theory, proof theory, and modern developments in recursion theory, but the reader, after studying this volume, will be amply prepared for the study of these more advanced topics.
Kurt Gödel was the most outstanding logician of the 20th century and a giant in the field. This book is part of a five volume set that makes available all of Gödels writings. The first three volumes, already published, consist of the papers and essays of Gödel. The final two volumes of the set deal with Gödel's correspondence with his contemporary mathematicians, this fifth volume consists of material from correspondents from H-Z.
The Mathematics That Power Our World: How Is It Made? is an attempt to unveil the hidden mathematics behind the functioning of many of the devices we use on a daily basis. For the past years, discussions on the best approach in teaching and learning mathematics have shown how much the world is divided on this issue. The one reality we seem to agree on globally is the fact that our new generation is lacking interest and passion for the subject. One has the impression that the vast majority of young students finishing high school or in their early post-secondary studies are more and more divided into two main groups when it comes to the perception of mathematics. The first group looks at mathematics as a pure academic subject with little connection to the real world. The second group considers mathematics as a set of tools that a computer can be programmed to use and thus, a basic knowledge of the subject is sufficient. This book serves as a middle ground between these two views. Many of the elegant and seemingly theoretical concepts of mathematics are linked to state-of-the-art technologies. The topics of the book are selected carefully to make that link more relevant. They include: digital calculators, basics of data compression and the Huffman coding, the JPEG standard for data compression, the GPS system studied both from the receiver and the satellite ends, image processing and face recognition.This book is a great resource for mathematics educators in high schools, colleges and universities who want to engage their students in advanced readings that go beyond the classroom discussions. It is also a solid foundation for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in science or engineering. All efforts were made so that the exposition of each topic is as clear and self-contained as possible and thus, appealing to anyone trying to broaden his mathematical horizons.
Handbook of Mathematical Induction: Theory and Applications shows how to find and write proofs via mathematical induction. This comprehensive book covers the theory, the structure of the written proof, all standard exercises, and hundreds of application examples from nearly every area of mathematics. In the first part of the book, the author discusses different inductive techniques, including well-ordered sets, basic mathematical induction, strong induction, double induction, infinite descent, downward induction, and several variants. He then introduces ordinals and cardinals, transfinite induction, the axiom of choice, Zorn's lemma, empirical induction, and fallacies and induction. He also explains how to write inductive proofs. The next part contains more than 750 exercises that highlight the levels of difficulty of an inductive proof, the variety of inductive techniques available, and the scope of results provable by mathematical induction. Each self-contained chapter in this section includes the necessary definitions, theory, and notation and covers a range of theorems and problems, from fundamental to very specialized. The final part presents either solutions or hints to the exercises. Slightly longer than what is found in most texts, these solutions provide complete details for every step of the problem-solving process.
Applicable to any problem that requires a finite number of solutions, finite state-based models (also called finite state machines or finite state automata) have found wide use in various areas of computer science and engineering. Handbook of Finite State Based Models and Applications provides a complete collection of introductory materials on finite state theories, algorithms, and the latest domain applications. For beginners, the book is a handy reference for quickly looking up model details. For more experienced researchers, it is suitable as a source of in-depth study in this area. The book first introduces the fundamentals of automata theory, including regular expressions, as well as widely used automata, such as transducers, tree automata, quantum automata, and timed automata. It then presents algorithms for the minimization and incremental construction of finite automata and describes Esterel, an automata-based synchronous programming language for embedded system software development. Moving on to applications, the book explores regular path queries on graph-structured data, timed automata in model checking security protocols, pattern matching, compiler design, and XML processing. It also covers other finite state-based modeling approaches and applications, including Petri nets, statecharts, temporal logic, and UML state machine diagrams.
This book casts the theory of periods of algebraic varieties in the natural setting of Madhav Nori's abelian category of mixed motives. It develops Nori's approach to mixed motives from scratch, thereby filling an important gap in the literature, and then explains the connection of mixed motives to periods, including a detailed account of the theory of period numbers in the sense of Kontsevich-Zagier and their structural properties. Period numbers are central to number theory and algebraic geometry, and also play an important role in other fields such as mathematical physics. There are long-standing conjectures about their transcendence properties, best understood in the language of cohomology of algebraic varieties or, more generally, motives. Readers of this book will discover that Nori's unconditional construction of an abelian category of motives (over fields embeddable into the complex numbers) is particularly well suited for this purpose. Notably, Kontsevich's formal period algebra represents a torsor under the motivic Galois group in Nori's sense, and the period conjecture of Kontsevich and Zagier can be recast in this setting. Periods and Nori Motives is highly informative and will appeal to graduate students interested in algebraic geometry and number theory as well as researchers working in related fields. Containing relevant background material on topics such as singular cohomology, algebraic de Rham cohomology, diagram categories and rigid tensor categories, as well as many interesting examples, the overall presentation of this book is self-contained.
This book leads readers from a basic foundation to an advanced level understanding of algebra, logic and combinatorics. Perfect for graduate or PhD mathematical-science students looking for help in understanding the fundamentals of the topic, it also explores more specific areas such as invariant theory of finite groups, model theory, and enumerative combinatorics.Algebra, Logic and Combinatorics is the third volume of the LTCC Advanced Mathematics Series. This series is the first to provide advanced introductions to mathematical science topics to advanced students of mathematics. Edited by the three joint heads of the London Taught Course Centre for PhD Students in the Mathematical Sciences (LTCC), each book supports readers in broadening their mathematical knowledge outside of their immediate research disciplines while also covering specialized key areas.
This book leads readers from a basic foundation to an advanced level understanding of algebra, logic and combinatorics. Perfect for graduate or PhD mathematical-science students looking for help in understanding the fundamentals of the topic, it also explores more specific areas such as invariant theory of finite groups, model theory, and enumerative combinatorics.Algebra, Logic and Combinatorics is the third volume of the LTCC Advanced Mathematics Series. This series is the first to provide advanced introductions to mathematical science topics to advanced students of mathematics. Edited by the three joint heads of the London Taught Course Centre for PhD Students in the Mathematical Sciences (LTCC), each book supports readers in broadening their mathematical knowledge outside of their immediate research disciplines while also covering specialized key areas.
Continuous Issues in Numerical Cognition: How Many or How Much re-examines the widely accepted view that there exists a core numerical system within human beings and an innate ability to perceive and count discrete quantities. This core knowledge involves the brain's intraparietal sulcus, and a deficiency in this region has traditionally been thought to be the basis for arithmetic disability. However, new research findings suggest this wide agreement needs to be examined carefully and that perception of sizes and other non-countable amounts may be the true precursors of numerical ability. This cutting-edge book examines the possibility that perception and evaluation of non-countable dimensions may be involved in the development of numerical cognition. Discussions of the above and related issues are important for the achievement of a comprehensive understanding of numerical cognition, its brain basis, development, breakdown in brain-injured individuals, and failures to master mathematical skills.
Using basic category theory, this Element describes all the central concepts and proves the main theorems of theoretical computer science. Category theory, which works with functions, processes, and structures, is uniquely qualified to present the fundamental results of theoretical computer science. In this Element, readers will meet some of the deepest ideas and theorems of modern computers and mathematics, such as Turing machines, unsolvable problems, the P=NP question, Kurt Goedel's incompleteness theorem, intractable problems, cryptographic protocols, Alan Turing's Halting problem, and much more. The concepts come alive with many examples and exercises.
The Mathematics That Power Our World: How Is It Made? is an attempt to unveil the hidden mathematics behind the functioning of many of the devices we use on a daily basis. For the past years, discussions on the best approach in teaching and learning mathematics have shown how much the world is divided on this issue. The one reality we seem to agree on globally is the fact that our new generation is lacking interest and passion for the subject. One has the impression that the vast majority of young students finishing high school or in their early post-secondary studies are more and more divided into two main groups when it comes to the perception of mathematics. The first group looks at mathematics as a pure academic subject with little connection to the real world. The second group considers mathematics as a set of tools that a computer can be programmed to use and thus, a basic knowledge of the subject is sufficient. This book serves as a middle ground between these two views. Many of the elegant and seemingly theoretical concepts of mathematics are linked to state-of-the-art technologies. The topics of the book are selected carefully to make that link more relevant. They include: digital calculators, basics of data compression and the Huffman coding, the JPEG standard for data compression, the GPS system studied both from the receiver and the satellite ends, image processing and face recognition.This book is a great resource for mathematics educators in high schools, colleges and universities who want to engage their students in advanced readings that go beyond the classroom discussions. It is also a solid foundation for anyone thinking of pursuing a career in science or engineering. All efforts were made so that the exposition of each topic is as clear and self-contained as possible and thus, appealing to anyone trying to broaden his mathematical horizons.
The Joy of Finite Mathematics: The Language and Art of Math teaches students basic finite mathematics through a foundational understanding of the underlying symbolic language and its many dialects, including logic, set theory, combinatorics (counting), probability, statistics, geometry, algebra, and finance. Through detailed explanations of the concepts, step-by-step procedures, and clearly defined formulae, readers learn to apply math to subjects ranging from reason (logic) to finance (personal budget), making this interactive and engaging book appropriate for non-science, undergraduate students in the liberal arts, social sciences, finance, economics, and other humanities areas. The authors utilize important historical facts, pose interesting and relevant questions, and reference real-world events to challenge, inspire, and motivate students to learn the subject of mathematical thinking and its relevance. The book is based on the authors' experience teaching Liberal Arts Math and other courses to students of various backgrounds and majors, and is also appropriate for preparing students for Florida's CLAST exam or similar core requirements.
Kurt Gödel was the most outstanding logician of the 20th century and a giant in the field. This book is part of a five volume set that makes available all of Gödels writings. The first three volumes, already published, consist of the papers and essays of Gödel. The final two volumes of the set deal with Gödel's correspondence with his contemporary mathematicians, this fourth volume consists of material from correspondents from A-G. |
You may like...
Logic from Russell to Church, Volume 5
Dov M. Gabbay, John Woods
Hardcover
R5,271
Discovery Miles 52 710
National Arithmetic in Theory and…
John Herbert 1831-1904 Sangster
Hardcover
R983
Discovery Miles 9 830
Elementary Lessons in Logic - Deductive…
William Stanley Jevons
Paperback
R569
Discovery Miles 5 690
|