Julian Havil: Nonplussed: Mathematical Proof of Implausible Ideas

[text_maniac]

Has anyone read it? I've just been reading the review in New Scientist. The title says it all really, Havil takes a collection of counterintuitive ideas, and provides the mathematical proof that they're true. Apparently, one of the things he demonstrates is a wine glass with a finite surface area, but infinite volume. Sounds quite fun, I like that sort of thing.

ISBN 99780691120560
P.2007 Princeton University Press

 

[letterHead]

Thanks for the pointer, I'll keep a lookout for it. It seems to be so new that my local library doesn't have it.

I read Charles Seife's Zero:The Biography of a Dangerous Idea last year and found that rather intriguing. One of the appendices was the mathematical proof that Winston Churchill was a carrot, although the equation could be applied to anybody.