Título: Cows in the Maze: And other mathematical explorations
Autor: Ian Stewart
Sinopse: Following on the success of his booksMath HysteriaandHow to Cut a Cake, Ian Stewart is back with more stories and puzzles that are as quirky as they are fascinating, and each from the cutting edge of the world of mathematics. From the math of mazes, to cones with a twist, and the amazing sphericon--and how to make one--Cows in the Mazetakes readers on an exhilarating tour of the world of mathematics. We find out about the mathematics of time travel, explore the shape of teardrops (which are not tear-drop shaped, but something much, much more strange), dance with dodecahedra, and play the game of Hex, among many more strange and delightful mathematical diversions. In the title essay, Stewart introduces readers to Robert Abbott's mind-bending "Where Are the Cows?" maze, which changes every time you pass through it, and is said to be the most difficult maze ever invented. In addition, he shows how a 90-year old woman and a computer scientist cracked a long-standing question about counting magic squares, describes the mathematical patterns in animal movement (walk, trot, gallop), looks at a fusion of art, mathematics, and the physics of sand piles, and reveals how mathematicianscan--and do--prove a negative. Populated by amazing creatures, strange characters, and astonishing mathematics explained in an accessible and fun way, and illustrated with quirky cartoons by artist Spike Gerrell,Cows in the Mazewill delight everyone who loves mathematics, puzzles and mathematical conundrums. Ian Stewartis a monthly contributor to the highly popular "Recreational Mathematics" column inScientific American. Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Mathematics Awareness Centre at Warwick University, he is both an active research mathematician and a well-known popularizer of mathematics and related areas of science. In 1995 he was awarded the Michael Faraday Award for furthering the public understanding of science. A Fellow of the Royal Society, his many books includeFlatterlandandThe Magical Maze.
Contexto da obra
Quando a classificação é mais ampla, o contexto do livro costuma depender ainda mais de autoria, tema e edição. “Cows in the Maze: And other mathematical explorations”, de Ian Stewart, publicado pela editora OUP Oxford, em 2010 e com 320 páginas, integra a categoria Livros Variados. Por isso, autoria, edição e tema acabam tendo ainda mais peso na forma de apresentar o livro.
Editora: OUP Oxford
Páginas: 320
Ano: 2010
Edição: 1
Linguagem: pt_BR
ISBN: 9780199562077
ISBN13: 9780199562077
Sobre a editora
Os livros da editora OUP Oxford apresentam uma leitura que transita entre o rigor acadêmico e a acessibilidade, frequentemente explorando temas complexos como filosofia da psiquiatria, evolução da linguagem, e história antiga, sempre com clareza e profundidade. O catálogo sugere obras que combinam análises detalhadas com exemplos práticos, como estudos de caso ou narrativas históricas, favorecendo tanto o leitor acadêmico quanto o interessado geral. Além disso, há títulos que abordam desde a ciência e medicina até literatura clássica e linguística, com um tom que varia entre o didático e o ensaístico, sempre focado em apresentar conceitos com suporte interdisciplinar e exercícios de reflexão. A experiência de leitura tende a ser densa, mas estruturada para facilitar o entendimento e estimular o pensamento crítico.
