The year's finest writing on mathematics from around the world, with a foreword by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Roger PenroseThis annual anthology brings together the year's finest mathematics writing from around the world. Featuring promising new voices alongside some of the foremost names in the field, The Best Writing on Mathematics 2013 makes available to a wide audience many articles not easily found anywhere else-and you don't need to be a mathematician to enjoy them. These writings offer surprising insights into the nature, meaning, and practice of mathematics today. They delve into the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday occurrences of math, and take readers behind the scenes of today's hottest mathematical debates. Here Philip Davis offers a panoramic view of mathematics in contemporary society; Terence Tao discusses aspects of universal mathematical laws in complex systems; Ian Stewart explains how in mathematics everything arises out of nothing; Erin Maloney and Sian Beilock consider the mathematical anxiety experienced by many students and suggest effective remedies; Elie Ayache argues that exchange prices reached in open market transactions transcend the common notion of probability; and much, much more.In addition to presenting the year's most memorable writings on mathematics, this must-have anthology includes a foreword by esteemed mathematical physicist Roger Penrose and an introduction by the editor, Mircea Pitici. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in where math has taken us-and where it is headed.

Foreword Roger Penrose ix
Introduction Mircea Pitici xv
The Prospects for Mathematics in a Multimedia Civilization Philip J. Davis 1
Fearful Symmetry Ian Stewart 23
E pluribus unum: From Complexity, Universality Terence Tao 32
Degrees of Separation Gregory Goth 47
Randomness Charles Seife 52
Randomness in Music Donald E. Knuth 56
Playing the Odds Soren Johnson 62
Machines of the Infinite John Pavlus 67
Bridges, String Art, and Bézier Curves Renan Gross 77
Slicing a Cone for Art and Science Daniel S. Silver 90
High Fashion Meets Higher Mathematics Kelly Delp 109
The Jordan Curve Theorem Is Nontrivial Fiona Ross and William T. Ross 120
Why Mathematics? What Mathematics? Anna Sfard 130
Math Anxiety: Who Has It, Why It Develops, and How to Guard against It Erin A. Maloney and Sian L. Beilock 143
How Old Are the Platonic Solids? David R. Lloyd 149
Early Modern Mathematical Instruments Jim Bennett 163
A Revolution in Mathematics? What Really Happened a Century Ago and Why It Matters Today Frank Quinn 175
Errors of Probability in Historical Context Prakash Gorroochurn 191
The End of Probability Elie Ayache 213
An abc Proof Too Tough Even for Mathematicians Kevin Hartnett 225
Contributors 231
Notable Texts 237
Acknowledgments 241
Credits 243