Step Into the World of Mathematics: Math Is Beautiful and Belongs to All of Us - Paperback

by Samuli Siltanen (Author), Lauri Snellman (Translator)

Foreword: Mathematics, our invisible friend.- 1. My adventures in the world of mathematics.- 2. Examples of mathematical models.- 3. The large models of Earth and space.- 4. Mathematics in the service of doctors.- 5. Is humanity mathematics as well?.- Mathematics belongs to everyone.

Back Jacket

Modern life is increasingly relying on digital technology, which in turn runs on mathematics. However, this underlying math is hidden from us. That is mostly a good thing since we do not want to be solving equations and calculating fractions just to get things done in our everyday business. But the mathematical details do matter for anyone who wants to understand how stuff works, or wishes to create something new in the jungle of apps and algorithms. This book takes a look at the mathematical models behind weather forecasting, climate change prediction, artificial intelligence, medical imaging and computer graphics. The reader is expected to have only a curious mind; technical math skills are not needed for enjoying this text.

Author Biography

Samuli Siltanen is a Professor of Industrial Mathematics and Vice Dean at the University of Helsinki. He is an expert on inverse problems, with a special interest in computational methods for medical imaging and nondestructive testing. His work on nonlinear imaging algorithms is used in hospital equipment and in nuclear safeguards protocols. Siltanen is an award-winning popularizer of science, appearing regularly on Finnish national TV, writing books, and publishing his own YouTube channel Samun tiedekanava.