Pythagoras" Revenge (ebook)

Argumento de Pythagoras" Revenge (ebook)

"Who would have guessed that a murder-treasure mystery lay hidden behind a geometric formula familiar to every high-schooler? Weaving a wealth of mathematical scholarship into a compellingly plotted novel, Sangalli recounts a fascinating tale of ancient arson and modern sleuthing, as Pythagoras of Samos (forever linked to the triangular theorem bearing his name) perishes amid brutal intrigues sweeping an early Greek colony, yet leaves behind a tantalizing legacy of numerical reasoning and paranormal mysticism. . . . To be sure, it is the author's own fertile imagination that generates the characters who form this resolute band and then scripts the adventures they encounter in their unlikely international quest. . . . [R]eaders will learn a great deal about real mathematics and its history as they join Pythagoras' modern epigones in pondering the meaning of geometrical patterns, the surprising randomness in numbers, and the logic of mathematical proofs. . . . [T]his engaging narrative will persuade many readers that mathematics offers far more excitement than they had previously supposed."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist

"[The book] comes together [around] the tantalizing possibility that Pythagoras, who forbade his followers to write down any of his sayings, may just have left something tangible after all. Sangalli builds his story on this, using clues from ancient texts, bits of mathematical lore and interesting arcana, like the puzzle that couldn't be patented because it had no solution. For a total escape, this novel is perfect."--Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail

"Read this book if you like mathematics and spend some time ruminating over the larger philosophical questions that are implicit in modern math. Such questions go directly to the heart of modern scientific culture."--William Byers, European Legacy

"If you like conspiracy adventure, and can dismiss the shallow characters and clunky sub-plots, it's a fun read as you get the history, philosophy, and theories on randomness and math, and of a figure who famously said, 'All is Number.'"--Phil Semler, San Francisco Book Review

"Pythagoras' Revenge: A Mathematical Mystery is more than just a novel. It is also an introduction to several big ideas in mathematics, from infinite series to unsolvable puzzles. . . . [T]his romp through ancient and modern mathematics is entertaining in patches, and certainly a cut above standard holiday reading. Despite occasional plot hiccups, its gripping story will likely hold readers to the end."--Physics World

"Human beings are story making animals, and this book shows that there is an opportunity to make use of this approach in the field. A fascinating attempt."--Brian Clegg, Popular Science

"This is an entertaining read, and although the plot is implausible at times it succeeds in conveying a variety of mathematical and philosophical ideas in a simple and light-hearted way. . . . Pythagoras' Revenge is a gripping novel that offers a refreshing way to learn about mathematics."--Sarah Shepherd, iSquared

"Initially Pythagoras' Revenge was intended to discuss the tyranny of numbers in modern societies in the same style as Sangalli's previous book. But, as if by magic, it became instead a work of fiction. . . . What remains after the end of this page-turner is Sangalli's impressive capacity to communicate mathematics. Let us take this book as a reminder to capitalize on the full potential of scientific storytelling."--Javier Fresán, Notices of the AMS

"A fascinating thriller that weaves together historical fiction, mathematical intrigue, and mighty philosophical clashes, all with Pythagoras' teachings as a backdrop. It will keep you riveted from the first page to the last."--Eli Maor, author of The Pythagorean Theorem

"A page turner! A serious work on the philosophy of mathematics disguised as a mystery novel that would make a terrific motion picture!"--Gregory Chaitin, author of Meta Math!: The Quest for Omega

"A well-written, immensely entertaining story. Sangalli weaves mathematical and philosophical concepts into a compelling modern-day adventure. His gift is the ability to explain those concepts and make them fun, through dialogue and other tools of the fiction writer. Pythagoras' Revenge is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery novel."--Mark Cohen, author of The Fractal Murders

"A fun read, this book is gripping, clever, and chock-full of accessible math and philosophy. I couldn't put it down."--Doron Zeilberger, Rutgers University0Preface ix
List of Main Characters xi
Prologue xiii

PART I: A TIME CAPSULE?
Chapter 1. The Fifteen Puzzle 3
Chapter 2. The Impossible Manuscript 10
Chapter 3. Game Over 19
Chapter 4. A Trip to London 25
Chapter 5. A Letter from the Past 32
Chapter 6. Found and Lost 38
Chapter 7. A Death in the Family 46

PART II: AN EXTRAORDINARILY GIFTED MAN
Chapter 8. The Mission 53
Chapter 9. Norton Thorp 63
Chapter 10. Random Numbers 69
Chapter 11. Randomness Everywhere 76
Chapter 12. Vanished 82

PART III: A SECT OF NEO-PYTHAGOREANS
Chapter 13. The Mandate 85
Chapter 14. The Beacon 87
Chapter 15. The Team 98
Chapter 16. The Hunt 106
Chapter 17. The Symbol of the Serpent 115
Chapter 18. A Professional Job 122
Chapter 19. With a Little Help from Your Sister 126

PART IV: PYTHAGORAS? MISSION
Chapter 20. All Roads Lead to Rome 139
Chapter 21. Kidnapped 152
Chapter 22. The Last Piece of the Puzzle 158
Epilogue 169
Appendix 1: Jule's Solution 171
Appendix 2: Infi nitely Many Primes 173
Appendix 3: Random Sequences 175
Appendix 4: A Simple Visual Proof of the Pythagorean
Theorem 177
Appendix 5: Perfect and Figured Numbers 178
Notes, Credits, and Bibliographical Sources 181