Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction

The aim of Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction is to explain, carefully but not technically, the differences between advanced, research-level mathematics, and the sort of mathematics we learn at school. It offers readers an insight into such seemingly paradoxical concepts as infinity, imaginary numbers, and curved space. The first few chapters are concerned with general aspects of mathematical thought and are followed by chapters on more specific topics such as limits and infinity, dimension, geometry, and estimates and approximations. It concludes with some answers to common sociological questions about the mathematical community.