Customer Reviews

The Golden Section (Spectrum)

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The Golden Section is a very fascinating topic that is applied in several fields, both mathematical and nonmathematical. Why? Because this number primarily focuses on proportion, both in a physical and numerical context.

Somewhat to my chagrin, the author confines this subject within the realm of mathematics. For I wish that the Golden Section was discussed from a thematic or historical standpoint, such as how or why artists such as Da Vinci used this concept in order to construct or create works of art that were well-proportioned.

Nonetheless, the mathematics is delightfully presented. It is sketchy in some areas but is much easier to follow than several of the 50+-year-old-mathematical works that have not been revised or updated. Fascinatingly, this one topic alone synthesizes or ties in several mathematical disciplines, including: fractals, geometry, topology, number theory, trigonometry, and, strangely enough, probability.

I highly recommend this book. It is neat and concise, and it is a great reference for the mathematician who has been out of practice for a while to brush up on his or her skills.

This short book of examples of where the golden section appears in geometry requires no mathematical background beyond that of basic algebra and trigonometry. It is not a book of examples where the golden ratio appears in nature, the demonstration is of geometric structures such as fractals, solids, paper folding and number sequences. Problems for further exploration are interspersed within the exposition and brief solutions are included at the end.
This is a book that all mathematicians can read and enjoy, from the advanced high school student up through the professional. All teachers from late middle school through college can find example problems to challenge their students. Even late elementary school students can be directed through some of the iterated processes of cutting and folding.