How Round Is Your Circle?

How Round Is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet is a book on the mathematics of physical objects, for a popular audience. It was written by chemical engineer John Bryant and mathematics educator Chris Sangwin, and published by the Princeton University Press in 2008.

How Round Is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet
AuthorsJohn Bryant, Chris Sangwin
LanguageEnglish
SubjectMathematics of physical objects
PublisherPrinceton University Press
Publication date
2008
ISBN978-0-691-14992-9

Topics

The book has 13 chapters,[1] whose topics include:

The book emphasizes the construction of physical models, and includes many plates of the authors' own models,[3] detailed construction plans, and illustrations.[4]

Audience and reception

Doug Manchester characterizes the topic of the book as "recreational engineering".[5] It only requires a standard background in mathematics including basic geometry, trigonometry, and a small amount of calculus.[3] Owen Smith calls it "a great book for engineers and mathematicians, as well as the interested lay person", writing that it is particularly good at laying bare the mathematical foundations of seemingly-simple problems.[4] Similarly, Ronald Huston recommends it to "mathematicians, engineers, and physicists", as well as interested members of the general public.[1]

Matthew Killeya writes approvingly of the book's intuitive explanations for its calculations and the motivation it adds to the mathematics it applies.[8] However, although reviewer Tim Erickson calls the book "exuberant and eclectic",[6] reviewers Andrew Whelan and William Satzer disagree, both finding fault with the book's lack of focus.[2][7]

References

  1. Huston, Ronald L., "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", zbMATH, Zbl 1166.00001
  2. Satzer, William J. (January 2008), "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", MAA Reviews, Mathematical Association of America
  3. Wagon, Stan (September–October 2008), "Applied geometry (Review of How Round Is Your Circle?)", American Scientist, 96 (5): 420–421, doi:10.1511/2008.74.420, JSTOR 27859211
  4. Smith, Owen (June 2008), "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", Plus Magazine
  5. Manchester, Doug (June 2010), "The intersection of engineering and math (Review of How Round Is Your Circle?)", EE Times
  6. Erickson, Tim (April 2009), "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", The Mathematics Teacher, 102 (8): 640, JSTOR 20876459
  7. Whelan, Andrew Edward (2009), "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", Mathematical Reviews, MR 2377148
  8. Killeya, Matthew (February 20, 2008), "Review of How Round Is Your Circle?", New Scientist, doi:10.1016/S0262-4079(08)60491-1
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