Fermat's Last Theorem

Cover Type: Softcover
Book Condition: Good
Jacket Condition: None Issued
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publisher Place: London
Publisher Year: 2002
Edition: Reprint

Description: 340 pages. Book is in general good condition. There is some light reading wear present, but still a presentable copy. A Story Of A Riddle That Confounded The World's Greatest Minds For 358 Years.

Publishers Description: The extraordinary story of the solving of a puzzle that has confounded mathematicians since the 17th century. The solution of Fermats Last Theorem is the most important mathematical development of the 20th century. In 1963 a schoolboy browsing in his local library stumbled across the worlds greatest mathematical problem: Fermats Last Theorem, a puzzle that every child can understand but which has baffled mathematicians for over 300 years. Aged just ten, Andrew Wiles dreamed that he would crack it. Wiless lifelong obsession with a seemingly simple challenge set by a long-dead Frenchman is an emotional tale of sacrifice and extraordinary determination. In the end, Wiles was forced to work in secrecy and isolation for seven years, harnessing all the power of modern maths to achieve his childhood dream. Many before him had tried and failed, including a 18-century philanderer who was killed in a duel. An 18-century Frenchwoman made a major breakthrough in solving the riddle, but she had to attend maths lectures at the Ecole Polytechnique disguised as a man since women were forbidden entry to the school. A remarkable story of human endeavour and intellectual brilliance over three centuries, Fermat ‘s Last Theorem will fascinate both specialist and general readers. Industry Reviews If you enjoyed Dava Sobels Longitude you will enjoy this Evening Standard Far from being a dry textbook it reads like the chronicle of an obsessive love affair. It has the classic ingredients that Hollywood would recognise Daily Mail

ISBN: 9781841157917