When Least Is Best - Paul J Nahin

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Résumé :
Paul Nahin shows how life often works at the extremes?with values becoming as small (or as large) as possible?and he considers how mathematicians over the centuries, including Descartes, Fermat, and Kepler, have grappled with these problems of minima and maxima. Throughout, Nahin examines entertaining conundrums, such as how to build the shortest bridge possible between two towns, how to vary speed during a race, and how to make the perfect basketball shot. Moving from medieval writings and modern calculus to the field of optimization, the engaging and witty explorations of?When Least Is Best?will delight math enthusiasts?everywhere.

Biographie:
Paul J. Nahin is the author of many popular math books, including How to Fall Slower Than Gravity and Hot Molecules, Cold Electrons (both Princeton). He is professor emeritus of electrical engineering at the University of New Hampshire....

Sommaire:
Paul J. Nahin With a new preface by the author...