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The Unfinished Game: Pascal, Fermat, and the Seventeenth-Century Letter that Made the World Modern
Paperback / softback
Main Details
Title |
The Unfinished Game: Pascal, Fermat, and the Seventeenth-Century Letter that Made the World Modern
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Authors and Contributors |
By (author) Keith Devlin
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Physical Properties |
Format:Paperback / softback | Pages:208 | Dimensions(mm): Height 207,Width 141 |
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Category/Genre | Probability and statistics |
ISBN/Barcode |
9780465018963
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Classifications | Dewey:519.2 |
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Audience | Tertiary Education (US: College) | Professional & Vocational | |
Illustrations |
25 b & w illus.
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Publishing Details |
Publisher |
Basic Books
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Imprint |
Basic Books
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Publication Date |
23 March 2010 |
Publication Country |
United States
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Description
In the early seventeenth century, the outcome of something as simple as a dice roll was consigned to the realm of unknowable chance. Mathematicians largely agreed that it was impossible to predict the probability of an occurrence. Then, in 1654, Blaise Pascal wrote to Pierre de Fermat explaining that he had discovered how to calculate risk. The two collaborated to develop what is now known as probability theorya concept that allows us to think rationally about decisions and events. In The Unfinished Game, Keith Devlin masterfully chronicles Pascal and Fermats mathematical breakthrough, connecting a centuries-old discovery with its remarkable impact on the modern world.
Author Biography
Keith Devlin is a Senior Researcher and Executive Director at Stanford's centre for the Study of Language and Information, a Consulting Professor in the Department of Mathematics, and a co-founder of the Stanford Media X research network. National Public Radio's Math Guy," he is the author of over twenty-five books. He lives in Stanford, California.
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