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Big Math - by  Steven Strogatz & Alex Townsend (Hardcover) - 1 of 1

Big Math - by Steven Strogatz & Alex Townsend (Hardcover)

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Highlights

  • The epic story of how a handful of surprisingly simple mathematical ideas have sparked today's technological breakthroughs--from Netflix's recommendation algorithm to medical imaging to artificial intelligence and beyond--while also slipping further and further from our understanding, with potentially earth-shaking consequences.
  • About the Author: Steven Strogatz is the Susan and Barton Winokur Distinguished Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Mathematics at Cornell University.
  • 304 Pages
  • Mathematics, Discrete Mathematics

Description



Book Synopsis



The epic story of how a handful of surprisingly simple mathematical ideas have sparked today's technological breakthroughs--from Netflix's recommendation algorithm to medical imaging to artificial intelligence and beyond--while also slipping further and further from our understanding, with potentially earth-shaking consequences.

We live in a world fueled by math that we barely notice. It's in every photo you post to Instagram, every Google search you make, and every answer you get back from ChatGPT. It routes our packages and planes, maps social networks, and predicts the weather. This is Big Math, and it is quietly running our world--while also reshaping it in ways we can't yet comprehend. A toolkit of powerful ideas such as matrices and vectors, networks and optimization, Big Math allows humanity to tackle problems too vast to hold in our heads. It is transforming how we shop, communicate, live, and heal. Yet the tools themselves are not especially new or mysterious. We created them, and for most of their history we understood them and controlled them. But once we began supercharging them with computers to explore truly enormous systems, things changed.

Now, as celebrated mathematicians Steven Strogatz and Alex Townsend reveal in this dazzling and unsettling book, Big Math is beginning to drift beyond our grasp, even as it delivers greater gifts and power through machine learning and, soon, quantum computing. What happens when Big Math outgrows its creators--when it becomes something we no longer understand, but only witness? And how can we learn to live wisely with tools that grow stronger and stranger every day?



About the Author



Steven Strogatz is the Susan and Barton Winokur Distinguished Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Mathematics at Cornell University. He is the author of Sync, The Joy of x, and Infinite Powers, which was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Royal Society Science Book Prize. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, he is one of the world's most highly cited mathematicians and a frequent contributor to The New York Times and The New Yorker. He is also a regular guest on Radiolab, Science Friday, and Veritasium. He lives in Ithaca, New York.

Alex Townsend is an associate professor of mathematics at Cornell University and a leading researcher in numerical linear algebra, scientific computing, and scientific artificial intelligence. He has received major international prizes in numerical analysis and linear algebra, including the Leslie Fox Prize and SIAM awards in both Linear Algebra and Computational Science and Engineering. An award-winning teacher, he is a recipient of Cornell University's Stephen H. Weiss Junior Fellowship for excellence in undergraduate teaching. He lives in Ithaca, New York.

Dimensions (Overall): 9.5 Inches (H) x 6.25 Inches (W) x .93 Inches (D)
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 304
Genre: Mathematics
Sub-Genre: Discrete Mathematics
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Format: Hardcover
Author: Steven Strogatz & Alex Townsend
Language: English
Street Date: November 10, 2026
TCIN: 1010335931
UPC: 9780316581585
Item Number (DPCI): 247-13-5424
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Estimated ship dimensions: 0.93 inches length x 6.25 inches width x 9.5 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
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Q: What are the main themes explored in this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book explores how simple mathematical ideas drive technological breakthroughs and their implications for society.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
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Q: What mathematical concepts are discussed in the book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: Key concepts include matrices, vectors, networks, and optimization, which are essential for understanding modern technology.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
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Q: Who are the authors of this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The authors are Steven Strogatz and Alex Townsend, both esteemed professors at Cornell University.

    submitted byAI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
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Q: What is the target audience for this book?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: The book is suggested for readers aged 22 years and up, particularly those interested in mathematics.

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Q: What impact does the book suggest math has on daily life?

submitted by AI Shopping Assistant - 13 days ago
  • A: It highlights how math influences various aspects of life, from social media to healthcare and beyond.

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