See the world in a completely new way as an esteemed mathematician shows how math powers the world—from technology to health care and beyond. Almost all of us have sat in a math class, wondering when we'd ever need to know how to find the roots of a polynomial or graph imaginary numbers. And in one sense, we were right: if we needed to, we'd use a computer. But as Ian Stewart argues in What's the Use?, math isn't just about boring computations. Rather, it offers us new and profound insights into our world, allowing us to accomplish feats as significant as space exploration and organ donation. From the trigonometry that keeps a satellite in orbit to the prime numbers used by the world's most advanced security systems to the imaginary numbers that enable augmented reality, math isn't just relevant to our lives. It is the very fabric of our existence.

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF PROFESSOR STEWART'S CABINET OF MATHEMATICAL CURIOSITIES 'Britain's most brilliant and prolific populariser of maths' ALEX BELLOSWhat is the maximum land you can enclose inside a given border?What is the minimum number of colours you can use to colour in a map so that no region shares a shade?And how do you calculate the shortest route between two cities?These questions may not sound related, but they have this in common: they all explore extremes: shortest lines, greatest areas, fewest colours. They have also given rise to some of the most important areas of mathematical study and have resulted in a myriad of applications - from the legend of Dido's founding of the city of Carthage to contemporary satellite navigation systems. From soap bubbles to the cosmos, Britain's most beloved mathematician tells the fascinating stories of the people and ideas pushing the very bounds of mathematics - and the...

After a decades-long anti-technology frenzy, archaeologist Prudence Odingo announces the discovery of 100,000-year-old wheeled artifacts, as creatures from Jupiter's moons threaten the Earth

All Second-Best Sailor wants is to sail his boat and trade with the wandering Neanderthals. But when the reefwives discover that a Cosmic Unity mission fleet is heading for his homeworld, his comfortable lifestyle vanishes in an instant. All Servant-of-Unity XIV Samuel wants is to help spread Cosmic Unity's message of harmony to a grateful galaxy. But the ecclesiarchs decide that Samuel is destined for greater things. Flung together by fate, the two men find themselves on opposite sides of a battle for the hearts and minds of every sentient creature in the galaxy. Together, they uncover Cosmic Unity's deepest secret, and come up with a kamikaze plan to fight off the invaders. But along the way, they will need help from the unlikeliest of allies.

Inspiration and guidance for aspiring mathematicians

An eminent teacher and writer explores an idea both simple and complex, both multidisciplinary and unifying-the story of symmetry.