In Pursuit of the Unknown
By Ian Stewart
17 Equations That Changed the World. Basic Books, 2012.
Summary of In Pursuit of the Unknown book by Ian Stewart
A fact-based study of seventeen mathematical equations that have impacted nearly every facet of the world from engineering to science to saving lives, and how they continue impacting us today.
Chapters in In Pursuit of the Unknown book summary
What do you get from this book? Learn how math has transformed global societies and continues impacting us today
“Pure math” and “applied math” utilize two types of equations that are responsible for revolutionizing science and technology
The Pythagoras Theorem explains the curvature of the Earth, while Logarithms simplify complicated math associated with astronomy
Calculus can be divided into two categories: differential and integral, both of which calculate rates of change
Newton’s three laws of motion and his law of gravity have heavily influenced astronomy and space travel
The square root of minus one led to the creation of quantum physics, while Euler’s polyhedra formula led to topography
Normal distribution and probability theory use statistics to ASSESS risk and identify probable outcome
Wave equation identifies patterns in sound, light, and seismic waves while the Fourier Transform identifies the frequencies associated with them
The Navier-Stokes formula accounts for fluid flow while Maxwell’s formula studies electromagnetic waves
The second law of thermodynamics established limits on energy consumption and popularized the atom
Einstein’s theory of relativity is responsible for GPS, the Big Bang Theory, and—in part—nuclear weapons
Schrödinger’s equation and information theory both helped advance DVDs and CDs and ushered in a new age of technology
Chaos theory finds order in randomness, while the Black-Scholes equation accesses financial risk
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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In Pursuit of the Unknown — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read In Pursuit of the Unknown book
Mathematicians • historians • scientists • engineers • teachers • students
About the author of In Pursuit of the Unknown
Ian Stewart
British mathematician Ian Stewart has served as Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, where he obtained his PhD in mathematics. He is the recipient of the Gold Medal of the Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications. From 1990 to 2001, Stewart was the Mathematical Recreations columnist for Scientific American magazine.
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