The concept of the circle is ubiquitous. It can be described mathematically, represented physically, and employed technologically. The circle is an elegant, abstract form that has been transformed by humans into tangible, practical forms to make our lives easier.

And yet no one has ever discovered a true mathematical circle. Rainbows are fuzzy; car tires are flat on the bottom, and even the most precise roller bearings have measurable irregularities. Ernest Zebrowski, Jr., discusses why investigations of the circle have contributed enormously to our current knowledge of the physical universe. Beginning with the ancient mathematicians and culminating in twentieth-century theories of space and time, the mathematics of the circle has pointed many investigators in fruitful directions in their quests to unravel nature's secrets. Johannes Kepler, for example, triggered a scientific revolution in 1609 when he challenged the conception of the earth's circular motion around the sun. Arab and European builders instigated the golden age of mosque and cathedral building when they questioned the Roman structural arches that were limited to geometrical semicircles.

Throughout his book, Zebrowski emphasizes the concepts underlying these mathematicians' calculations, and how these concepts are linked to real-life examples. Substantiated by easy-to-follow mathematical reasoning and clear illustrations, this accessible book presents a novel and interesting discussion of the circle in technology, culture, history, and science.

About the Author
Ernest Zebrowski Jr. holds professorships in science and mathematics education at Southern University in Baston Rouge, and in physics at Pennsylvania College of Technology of the Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of Perils of a Restless Planet: Scientific Perspectives on Natural Disasters and several science textbooks.

Reviews
I found the book to be fascinating, and the authorAEs presentations and illustrations of the contrasts between mathematical reasoning and scientific reasoning were especially appealing. The book is rich in history, which is carefully integrated into the discussions, and it includes wonderful illustrations and stories. * Mathematics Teacher *
Zebrowski is a wonderful storyteller, and his choices of topics reveal not only the depth of explanation afforded by the available mathematics but the beauty in the explanations; he succeeds in keeping the explanations accessible to the most general audience. * Choice *
Throughout his book, Zebrowski emphasizes the concepts underlying these mathematiciansAE calculations, and how these concepts are linked to real ulife examples. Substantiated by easy uto ufollow mathematical reasoning and clear illustrations, this accessible book presents a novel and interesting discussion of the circle in technology, culture, history, and science. * Zentralblatt fnr Didaktik der Mathematik *
This is an accessibly written investigation of how past attempts by scientists to discover the perfect circle led to major discoveries of the physical universe. * Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society *
The book is insightful and clever. It blends the authorAEs background in mathematics and physics to uncover natural occurrences of mathematics in the world around us. * E-Streams *
An enjoyably readable treatment of the interaction between mathematical ideals and physical reality. Full of good stories. -- Thomas Banchoff * author of Beyond the Third Dimension *
"From a history of pi to the workings of rollers and gears, from tsunami killer waves to the elusive waves of gravity, from the atom's nucleus to the structure of the universeuhere is a fascinating tour de force of all things circular. After reading ZebrowskiAEs account, you'll get answers to everything youAEve always asked about the circleuand much more! -- Eli Maor * author of e: The Story of a Number and Trigonometric Delights *



Book Information
ISBN 9780813528984
Author Ernest Zebrowski
Format Paperback
Page Count 232
Imprint Rutgers University Press
Publisher Rutgers University Press
Weight(grams) 397g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 18mm