This practical introduction to the techniques needed to produce high-quality mathematical illustrations is suitable for anyone with basic knowledge of coordinate geometry. Bill Casselman combines a completely self-contained step-by-step introduction to the graphics programming language PostScript with an analysis of the requirements of good mathematical illustrations. The many small simple graphics projects can also be used in courses in geometry, graphics, or general mathematics. Code for many of the illustrations is included, and can be downloaded from the book's web site: www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/graphics/manualMathematicians; scientists, engineers, and even graphic designers seeking help in creating technical illustrations need look no further.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"This is a wonderful read...This book is highly recommended for a variety of readers. Authors of mathematics (and various related fields) might learn about how to build better illustrations. Students of mathematics might use the text to explore a variety of mathematical problems including the convex hull, triangulation, three-dimensional projections and more (indeed the author notes that the book has been used as a text in an undergraduate geometry class). Programming students might use it as a springboard to learn an underused (and perhaps underappreciated) programming language, as well as some basics of geometry. Even casual readers might learn more than a bit of programming, geometry and how to use illustrations to illuminate...This book will take a permanent place on my bookshelf and I will surely recommend it highly to anyone interested in geometry, mathematics, and illustrations as well as those who appreciate a good mathematical read."
Computing Reviews
"The geometry that best illustrates vector-graphic drawing methods is the subject of Casselman's book... I recommend it to all who are professionally or even casually interested in mathematical illustration... To read this text profitably requires, in addition to paper and pencil, a computer running a PostScript interpreter... Still, for lazy or computerphobic readers there remains close to a third of the book that is superb geometry. These passages can be enjoyed without even a glance at PostScript... Today most images end up in PostScript on the way to the printer, regardless of their origins. Sometimes it becomes necessary to open the arcane code in a text editor and modify PostScript by hand. Even if you will never need to go this far, Casselman's book teaches you to appreciate the marvels of PostScript and of the geometry ideas relevant to this curious computer language."
American Scientist
"...this manual is a rich and educational guide to applying geometry and getting the most out of PostScript."
MAA Reviews
"Casselman is a mathematician interested in graphics and the book will appeal as much to mathematicians as it will appeal to programmers. Casselman's book certainly does its best to address the two topics of geometry and PostScript, and in this respect it is excellent."
Notices of the AMS
Computing Reviews
"The geometry that best illustrates vector-graphic drawing methods is the subject of Casselman's book... I recommend it to all who are professionally or even casually interested in mathematical illustration... To read this text profitably requires, in addition to paper and pencil, a computer running a PostScript interpreter... Still, for lazy or computerphobic readers there remains close to a third of the book that is superb geometry. These passages can be enjoyed without even a glance at PostScript... Today most images end up in PostScript on the way to the printer, regardless of their origins. Sometimes it becomes necessary to open the arcane code in a text editor and modify PostScript by hand. Even if you will never need to go this far, Casselman's book teaches you to appreciate the marvels of PostScript and of the geometry ideas relevant to this curious computer language."
American Scientist
"...this manual is a rich and educational guide to applying geometry and getting the most out of PostScript."
MAA Reviews
"Casselman is a mathematician interested in graphics and the book will appeal as much to mathematicians as it will appeal to programmers. Casselman's book certainly does its best to address the two topics of geometry and PostScript, and in this respect it is excellent."
Notices of the AMS
Book Description
This practical introduction to the techniques needed to produce mathematical illustrations of high quality is suitable for anyone with a modest acquaintance with coordinate geometry. The author combines a completely self-contained step-by-step introduction to the graphics programming language PostScript with advice on what goes into good mathematical illustrations, chapters showing how good graphics can be used to explain mathematics, and a treatment of all the mathematics needed to make such illustrations. The many small simple graphics projects can also be used in courses in geometry, graphics, or general mathematics. Code for many of the illustrations is included, and can be downloaded from the book's web site: www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/graphics/manualMathematicians; scientists, engineers, and even graphic designers seeking help in creating technical illustrations need look no further.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
New look at old techniques,
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This review is from: Mathematical Illustrations: A Manual of Geometry and PostScript (Paperback)
To understand maths through drawings: this is the motto of this excelent book. It's a major change in the way we look at pictures and, particulary, at PostScript. PostScript as a tool for learning maths, not only for drawing beautiful diagrams. For math majors and computer scientists alike.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
In this book we use a program called Ghostscript, as well as one of several programs that in turn rely on Ghostscript running behind the scenes, to serve as our PostScript interpreter and interface. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
def newpath, div setlinewidth, oad pop, exch def, rlineto closepath stroke, div def, dictionary stack, qui cksort, sub def, add def, smaller pentagon, current transformation matrix, graphics state, mul add, current coordinate system, mathematical illustrations, rigid transformation, sweep line, imported file, cofactor matrix, drawing commands, sorting routine, graphics environment, surface fragment Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Morgan Kaufmann, Jim Blinn's Corner, Adobe Systems, Euclid's Elements, Thomas Harriot, Trip Down the Graphics Pipeline, Werner Boy New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
In this book we use a program called Ghostscript, as well as one of several programs that in turn rely on Ghostscript running behind the scenes, to serve as our PostScript interpreter and interface. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
def newpath, div setlinewidth, oad pop, exch def, rlineto closepath stroke, div def, dictionary stack, qui cksort, sub def, add def, smaller pentagon, current transformation matrix, graphics state, mul add, current coordinate system, mathematical illustrations, rigid transformation, sweep line, imported file, cofactor matrix, drawing commands, sorting routine, graphics environment, surface fragment Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Morgan Kaufmann, Jim Blinn's Corner, Adobe Systems, Euclid's Elements, Thomas Harriot, Trip Down the Graphics Pipeline, Werner Boy New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 13
books:
See all 13 books this book cites
- Computational Geometry: Algorithms and Applications, Second Edition by Mark de Berg on page 242, and page 258
- Geometry and the Imagination (CHEL/87.H) (AMS Chelsea Publishing) by David Hilbert on page 145, and page 178
- Flattening the Earth: Two Thousand Years of Map Projections by John P. Snyder on page 146
- In Mathematical Circles: A Selection of Mathematical Stories and Anecdotes: Quadrants I, II, III, and IV (Mathematical Association of America) by Howard W. Eves on page 43
- Map Projections: A Reference Manual by L M Bugayevskiy on page 146
See all 13 books this book cites
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