The Jungles of Randomness: A Mathematical Safari - Tapa dura

"Peterson's knowledge of and affection for mathematics comes through with every word."-San Diego Union Tribune. "Peterson is, in short, the math teacher everyone wishes they had in high school."-Publishers Weekly. "Peterson has honed his explanatory skills finely. He is a readable guide through the tangles of probability and random chance. The Jungles of Randomness will give some insight into one of the most fruitful areas where math meets practical living."-Christian Science Monitor. The delightful trek through the exotic and powerful world of randomness. Popular math author Ivars Peterson leads readers on an exciting foray into the wilds of randomness, introducing exciting new discoveries-from hidden rules governing games of chance to how the first molecules of life formed and how random numbers can protect sensitive information on the Internet. Along the way, he charts the ambiguous boundary between order and chaos, revealing the astonishing patterns so often hidden in apparent randomness as well as the startling randomness often embedded in apparent order. Ivars Peterson (Washington, D.C.) is the mathematics and physics editor at Science News and the author of four previous trade books, including The Mathematical Tourist and Islands of Truth: A Mathematical Mystery Cruise.

Advance Praise for The Jungles of Randomness "Ivars Peterson is the clearest expositor of mathematics today. His new book takes a lively book at one of the hottest areas of mathematical research." -Paul Hoffman former Editor-in-Chief, Discover magazine "Ivars Peterson is the heir-apparent to Martin Gardner as the philosopher-king of mathematics for the public. The Jungles of Randomness is the brightest jewel in his crown so far. Another terrific book." -Julian Simon, Economist "In The Jungles of Randomness, Ivars Peterson finds a fascinating collection of circumstances where chance intervenes in our lives and in the world around us. Every reader, regardless of background, is bound to find something new and interesting in this book." -Robert Osserman author of Poetry of the Universe "When readers accompany Ivars Peterson on his expedition into the jungles of uncertainty, the one certain thing is that they will enjoy the trip." -William Dunham author of Journey Through Genius A Selection of the Book-Of-The-Month Club Praise for The Mathematical Tourist "A top-notch survey ... far from being old and musty, mathematics is alive, vital and vibrant, full of unanswered questions that Peterson makes accessible to non-experts." -Los Angeles Times "He plumbs such delicious arcana as knot theory, cellular automata, and surgery on manifolds. One can learn a lot from this book." -The New York Times