 | |
| Authors | John Bryant, Chris Sangwin |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Mathematics of physical objects |
| Publisher | Princeton University Press |
Publication date | 2008 |
| ISBN | 978-0-691-14992-9 |
How Round Is Your Circle? Where Engineering and Mathematics Meet is a book on the mathematics of physical objects, for a popular audience. It was written by chemical engineer John Bryant and mathematics educator Chris Sangwin, and published by the Princeton University Press in 2008.
The book has 13 chapters, [1] whose topics include:
The book emphasizes the construction of physical models, and includes many plates of the authors' own models, [3] detailed construction plans, and illustrations. [4]
Doug Manchester characterizes the topic of the book as "recreational engineering". [5] It only requires a standard background in mathematics including basic geometry, trigonometry, and a small amount of calculus. [3] Owen Smith calls it "a great book for engineers and mathematicians, as well as the interested lay person", writing that it is particularly good at laying bare the mathematical foundations of seemingly-simple problems. [4] Similarly, Ronald Huston recommends it to "mathematicians, engineers, and physicists", as well as interested members of the general public. [1]
Matthew Killeya writes approvingly of the book's intuitive explanations for its calculations and the motivation it adds to the mathematics it applies. [8] However, although reviewer Tim Erickson calls the book "exuberant and eclectic", [6] reviewers Andrew Whelan and William Satzer disagree, both finding fault with the book's lack of focus. [2] [7]
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