Numbers Galore: Perfects, Primes, Triples and Twins

A Playful, Thought-Provoking Adventure in Mathematics! Veteran mathematics teacher Jack McCabe takes the reader on a joyful ride through perfect numbers, prime numbers, Pythagorean triples, and twin primes. McCabe provides background information about mathematics legends Pythagoras, Euclid, Fermat, Gauss, Euler, Godel, and Erdos, and in some cases shows how they reasoned their proofs. Numbers Galore gives readers a solid grounding in how mathematicians made their discoveries, as well as showing how modern electronic spreadsheets can be used to investigate long-held mathematical theories. Budding mathematicians will be excited to learn how proofs work, and they will get a glimpse into deeper philosophies of mathematics with McCabe's discussion of Fermat's method of infinite-descent, a topic rarely introduced at this level. Novices and professional mathematicians alike will be intrigued by the notion of "The Holy Grail of Mathematics," which gives concrete meaning to the theory of Pythagorean triples. Equal parts history and discovery, Numbers Galore is a delightful learning tool from a teacher whose passion for mathematics is both contagious and inspiring.