This title includes a superbly written introduction to the fascinating world of mathematical symbols, their meanings, and their uses. Mention the word mathematics and most people's reaction will be one of general bewilderment. There's something about its language of symbols and equations that many find intimidating. The result is that maths and science books for the general public usually avoid the use of symbols, meaning readers never get to fully appreciate the true power and elegance of mathematics. "Math for the Frightened" takes the opposite approach, gently introducing readers to the main concepts of mathematics and painlessly demonstrating how they are expressed as symbols, why symbols are used, and what can be achieved by doing so. If you've ever been curious about mathematics but afraid of its complexity, this book will help you overcome your fears and begin to appreciate math in all its glory.

Will help you appreciate and understand the significance of Isaac Newton's masterpiece--what many regard as the greatest scientific contribution of all time. Despite its dazzling reputation, Isaac Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, or simply the Principia, remains a mystery for many people. Few of even the most intellectually curious readers, including professional scientists and mathematicians, have actually looked in the Principia or appreciated its contents. Mathematician Colin Pask seeks to remedy this deficit with this accessible guided tour through Newton's masterpiece. Using the final edition of the Principia, Pask clearly demonstrates how it sets out Newton's (and now our) approach to science, how the framework of classical mechanics is established, how terrestrial phenomena like the tides and projectile motion are explained, and how we can understand the dynamics of the solar system and the paths of comets. He also includes scene-setting chapters about Newton himself and scientific developments in his time, as well as chapters about the reception and influence of the Principia up to the present day. Now in paperback with a new preface, this lucidly written work makes Newton's landmark achievement comprehensible to lay readers.