The New Mathematics [Hardcover]

Irving Adler (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 221 pages
• Publisher: John Day Co; Revised edition (June 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0381980022
• ISBN-13: 978-0381980023
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 4.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,320,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh no!, July 6, 2000

By 

"physics-r-us" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Mathematics (Hardcover)

I can't believe this is out of print. I read this book first when I was about 13 or 14 and found it fascinating.

I reread it many years later and it was still interesting. The book presents an argument for why we need all those kinds of numbers (integers, reals, imaginary, complex...) and does so in a straightforward and elegant way. Make no mistake, it is NOT a mathematics textbook - there are no systematic proofs - but it presents solid reasons for adding different kinds of numbers.

The book starts with the counting numbers, then shows why we need zero, negative numbers, fractions (rational numbers), irrational numbers, imaginary numbers and complex numbers.

Hopefully it will be reprinted someday... I'll certainly buy a copy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, November 25, 2011

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uncountable - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The new mathematics (Hardcover)

Best intro to the foundations of mathematics. I have ordered this books many times and given it away as gifts to students and friends. It opened my eyes to the wonderful world of abstract mathematics.

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this in high school. 1964?, February 28, 2006

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Graciela Castex "HP" (New York City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The new mathematics (Hardcover)

When the phrase, new math, was all the rage. Good for learning the vocabulary.

To add to the first review, my memory of the book is that it added elementary introductions to set theory, group theory, matrix algebra (I think; I also had a semester of M.A. in high school) and associated concepts such as commutivity, etc. It was very well-written, clear. I tried to look up someting in my copy today on groups and couldn't find it. Which is why I'm here.

I highly reccommend the book.