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What's the Use?

The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics

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What's the Use?

By: Ian Stewart
Narrated by: Quentin Cooper
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About this listen

Many people think mathematics is useless. They're wrong. In the UK, the 2.8 million people employed in mathematical science occupations contributed £208 billion to the economy in a single year - that's 10 per cent of the workforce contributing 16 per cent of the economy.

What's the Use? asks why there is such a vast gulf between public perceptions of mathematics and reality. It shows how mathematics is vital, often in surprising ways, behind the scenes of daily life. How politicians pick their voters. How an absurd little puzzle solved 300 years ago leads to efficient methods for kidney transplants. How an Irish mathematician's obsession with a new number system improves special effects in movies and computer games. How SatNav relies on at least six mathematical techniques. And how a bizarre, infinitely wiggly curve helps to optimise deliveries to your door.

©2021 Joat Enterprises (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK Mathematics Physics Political Science Politics & Government Science

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Most relevant
Full of surprising and entertaining twists and turns as time and time again we are shown how something in mathematics is useful in a way that that those who developed it had not foreseen. Ian Stewart is a genius who wears his learning lightly.

Mind expanding fun

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