The story of the solving of a puzzle that has confounded mathematicians since the 17th century. The solution of Fermat's Last Theorem is the most important mathematical development of the 20th century. In 1963, a schoolboy browsing in his local library stumbled across the world's greatest mathematical problem: Fermat's 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. Wiles's 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.
About the Author
Since 1991 Simon Singh has been writing, directing and producing for the BBC Science department. In the past he has produced the weekly magazine programme 'Tomorrow's World' . He directed the 'Horizon' about Andrew Wiles and his obsessive solving of Fermat's Last Theorem. He completed his PhD at Cambridge in 1990.
Reviews
'If you enjoyed Dava Sobel's 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
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Reviews
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An awesome popular science book. As with Big Bang (a later book, but which I read first) Simon takes us on a tour through the history of the mathematical theorem meeting all the people involved in the subject along the way. Simon Singh's books are the easiest reading science books I've ever read (with the exception perhaps of Bill Bryson's A Short History or Nearly Everything). This book examines everything from Pythagoras through to the time when the theorem was finally solved, explaining along the way, not just the problem itself, but also why solving it was so important, and also giving an interesting look at the various personalities who threw themselves at it over the years. You don't need a maths degree to understand this, just an enquiring mind.
Well worth reading.
This is a very good book about one of the world's most famous mathematical theorems, one that has perplexed mathematicians for many centuries - and how it was eventually solved. The maths involved is only known and understood by a handful of people on earth, so Singh wisely keeps his descriptions of it vague and general, yet still enough for the reader to have a fairly good idea of what is going on. This detective like story is gripping (you feel sorry for the guy when his first crack at the answer ends up , well, wrong).
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