Brain-melting mathematics

I've picked up a copy of Fermat's Last Theorem, supposedly just for kicks, but it's hurting my head...a lot. I can't put it down even though it takes me 15 minutes to work through every concept. Some of it seems pointless twaddle, other bits really intriguing and I'm sure it boils down to personal preference or understanding as to where you draw the line.

Is anyone out there on the .org really into their stuff and knows what they're talking about? Any ideas of similar concepts that a layman could read for interest?

Just thought I'd throw that out there for consideration (or shunning!) to see if I'm the only one that finds it interesting/can't understand it.

Apart from something stupidly basic (which I know I learned at school) as to why multiplying 2 negatives gives a positive - anyone? - it's now throwing this concept of modular equations at me and I am finding their 4d-ness a little tough to comprehend! Had to put the book down when it said that mathematicians know that some infinities can be bigger than other infinities

Is that what this thread is about?

[dizzyblonde]

try....C.F.D and F.E.A. computational, fluid, dynamics and finite element analysis.
I don't know what it is but Im Indoors studies it amongst other things. Last year i had many a book of this subject thrown at me during his third year at uni. Made my eyes go square followed by a long period of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Richie]

Originally Posted by MeridiaNx

Apart from something stupidly basic (which I know I learned at school) as to why multiplying 2 negatives gives a positive - anyone? -

does that mean if I multiply my overdraft with my creditcards I get a possitive outcome...

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by Richie

does that mean if I multiply my overdraft with my creditcards I get a possitive outcome...

Superstring Theory is always good for a brain burn. I read FLT and was struggling a bit with the more advanced maths but was genuinely surprised about the stuff that had stuck from school. The Joy of Pi and Curious and Interesting Mathematics are also interesting as is of course the ubiquitous Brief History of Time.

Oh apparently Black Holes and Timewarps by Kip S Thorne is a bit difficult according to the hubby, so no hope for me then

Trace

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by MeridiaNx

Is anyone out there on the .org really into their stuff and knows what they're talking about? Any ideas of similar concepts that a layman could read for interest?

a slight tangent, as personally i find maths is essentially physics with no point - it's been years since i read it, but if you are at all interested in physics i can recommend "In Search Of Schroedinger's Cat" by John Gribbin - it's not exactly mind blowing but considering the book was published the same year i was born, it's not doing too bad for something almost a quarter of a century old.

or without wanting to appear too 'Oprah's book club' - dare i suggest reading "The God Delusion" ???

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

Made my eyes go square followed by a long period of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tried that last night, was reading the damn thing til 4.30am but when I put it down and rolled over my brain was in meltdown and I had disturbing dreams involving groups of numbers doing horrible things to me

Originally Posted by Ace-T

was genuinely surprised about the stuff that had stuck from school.

I'm the other way around, had to ask my girlfriend, who's younger than me and has therefore had less time to forget, why the simplification of (x + y)² resulted in the following:

x² + y² + 2xy

Couldn't for the life of me figure out where the 2xy came from, even though I knew it to be true based on plugging numbers into the equation. Then she reminded me to put (x + y)(x + y) and multiply everything by everything. Doh! It was part of Pythagoras proof that his equation held true for all right-angles triangles without having to test them.

Originally Posted by Ace-T

The Joy of Pi

I shall look this up, but the film Pi is good for a semi-serious mathematical workout, especially the cool stuff on code-work/substitution/patterns in the Torah.

Gonna look up all these references to books and Superstring theory etc.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by MeridiaNx

I'm the other way around, had to ask my girlfriend, who's younger than me and has therefore had less time to forget, why the simplification of (x + y)² resulted in the following:

x² + y² + 2xy

eyebrows and double chin...

Originally Posted by sarah

Is that what this thread is about?

Oh, and regarding that example, and to keep it in this thread rather than an older one, is that definitely right, as agreed by mathematicians rather than an amateur's error?

If it is, then I can't argue with them, but I would've thought the logical inconsistency must be to do with....hmm, oh balls that doesn't work. Or at least it does to me but someone will say that's the problem with infinity. Was gonna ask if it's because 10 x 0.999 recurring should, due to adding two 9s together, give an 8 as the final decimal. If ever you could get there

Problem with that sort of trick is that I can't see the application other than as a neat trick?