The Millennium Problems by Keith Devlin

The Millennium Problems by Keith Devlin

The definitive lay reader's account of the Everests of mathematics--the seven unsolved problems that definethe state of the art in contemporary math. In 2000, the Clay Foundation of Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced a historic competition: whoever could solve any of seven extraordinarily difficult mathematical problems, and have the solution acknowledged as correct by the experts, would receive USD1 million in prize money. There was some precedent for doing this: in 1900 David Hilbert, one of the greatest mathematicians of his day, proposed twenty-three problems, now known as the Hilbert Problems, that set much of the agenda for mathematics in the twentieth century. The Millennium Problems are likely to acquire similar stature, and their solution (or lack of one) is likely to play a strong role in determining the course of mathematics in the current century. Keith Devlin, renowned expositor of mathematics, tells here what the seven problems are, how they came about, and what they mean for math and science. These problems are the brass rings held out to today's mathematicians, glittering and just out of reach. In the hands of Keith Devlin, "the Math Guy" from NPR's "Weekend Edition," each Millennium Problem becomes a fascinating window onto the deepest and toughest questions in the field. For mathematicians, physicists, engineers, and everyone else with an interest in mathematics' cutting edge, The Millennium Problems is the definitive account of a subject that will have a very long shelf life.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780465017294
ISBN 10	0465017290
Title	The Millennium Problems
Author	Keith Devlin
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Basic Books
Year published	2002-10-16
Number of pages	237
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.