What is math? How exactly does it work? And what do three siblings trying to share a cake have to do with it? In How to Bake Pi, math professor Eugenia Cheng provides an accessible introduction to the logic and beauty of mathematics, powered, unexpectedly, by insights from the kitchen: we learn, for example, how the béchamel in a lasagna can be a lot like the number 5, and why making a good custard proves that math is easy but life is hard. Of course, it's not all about cooking; we'll also run the New York and Chicago marathons, take a closer look at St. Paul's Cathedral, pay visits to Cinderella and Lewis Carroll, and even get to the bottom of why we think of a tomato as a vegetable. At the heart of it all is Cheng's work on category theory, a cutting-edge mathematics of mathematics,” that is about figuring out how math works. This is not the math of our high school classes: seen through category theory, mathematics becomes less about numbers and formulas and more about how we know, believe, and understand anything, including whether our brother took too much cake. Many of us think that math is hard, but, as Cheng makes clear, math is actually designed to make difficult things easier. Combined with her infectious enthusiasm for cooking and a true zest for life, Cheng's perspective on math becomes this singular book: a funny, lively, and clear journey through a vast territory no popular book on math has explored before. How to Bake Pi offers a whole new way to think about a field all of us think we know; it will both dazzle the constant reader of popular mathematics and amuse and enlighten even the most hardened math-phobe. So, what is math? Let's look for the answer in the kitchen.

How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics

Cheng, Eugenia

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Basic Books

"[Cheng] does a great service by showing us non-mathematician schlubs how real mathematical creativity works." --Wall Street Journal How big is the universe? How many numbers are there? And is infinity + 1 is the same as 1 + infinity? Such questions occur to young children and our greatest minds. And they are all the same question: What is infinity? In Beyond Infinity, Eugenia Cheng takes us on a staggering journey from elemental math to its loftiest abstractions. Along the way, she considers how to use a chessboard to plan a worldwide dinner party, how to make a chicken-sandwich sandwich, and how to create infinite cookies from a finite ball of dough. Beyond Infinity shows how one little symbol holds the biggest idea of all.

Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of Mathematics

Science & Math

Mathematics

One of the world's most creative mathematicians finds the meaning of mathematics in the kitchen in this "whimsical...rigorous and insightful" (New York Times) book What is math? How exactly does it work? And what do three siblings trying to share a cake have to do with it? In How to Bake Pi, math professor Eugenia Cheng provides an accessible introduction to the logic and beauty of mathematics, powered, unexpectedly, by insights from the kitchen. We learn how the bechamel in a lasagna can be a lot like the number five, and why making a good custard proves that math is easy but life is hard. At the heart of it all is Cheng's work on category theory, a cutting-edge "mathematics of mathematics," that is about figuring out how math works. Combined with her infectious enthusiasm for cooking and true zest for life, Cheng's perspective on math is a funny journey through a vast territory no popular book on math has explored before. So, what is math? Let's look for the answer in the kitchen.

Cooking Education & Reference

Aspiring bakers will embrace this charming picture book about baking pie by using simple math, from one of the world's most creative and celebrated mathematicians. X + Y are dreaming of baking infinite pie. But they don't know if infinite pie is real. With the help of quirky and uber-smart Aunt Z, and a whole lot of flour and butter, X and Y will learn that by using math they can bake their way to success! This charming and tasty story from mathematician and author of How to Bake Pi, Eugenia Cheng, reassures young readers that math doesn't have to be scary--especially when paired with pie! Additional back matter includes: a letter from Eugenia encouraging readers not to be intimidated by math, explanations of the math concepts explored in the book, and a&nbsp;recipe for&nbsp;Banana Butterscotch Pie!

Bake Infinite Pie with X + Y

Children's Books

Education & Reference

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Mathematician and popular science author Eugenia Cheng is on a mission to show you that mathematics can be flexible, creative, and visual. This joyful journey through the world of abstract mathematics into category theory will demystify mathematical thought processes and help you develop your own thinking, with no formal mathematical background needed. The book brings abstract mathematical ideas down to earth using examples of social justice, current events, and everyday life – from privilege to COVID-19 to driving routes. The journey begins with the ideas and workings of abstract mathematics, after which you will gently climb toward more technical material, learning everything needed to understand category theory, and then key concepts in category theory like natural transformations, duality, and even a glimpse of ongoing research in higher-dimensional category theory. For fans of How to Bake Pi, this will help you dig deeper into mathematical concepts and build your mathematical background.

The Joy of Abstraction: An Exploration of Math, Category Theory, and Life

Cambridge University Press

The Joy of Abstraction

Find the clues and lift the flaps on this mathematical mystery! Join Molly as she ventures into a curious world where nothing is quite as it seems. A trail of clues leads from scene to scene, presenting Molly with a number of challenges. But who is leaving the clues, and where will they lead? This interactive mystery shows math isn't just about numbers--it's about imagination! An explorative and creative approach to the world of mathematics.

Molly and the Mathematical Mysteries: Ten Interactive Adventures in Mathematical Wonderland

Big Picture Press

One of the world's most creative mathematicians offers a new way to look at math--focusing on questions, not answers&nbsp; Where do we learn math: From rules in a textbook? From logic and deduction? Not really, according to mathematician Eugenia Cheng: we learn it from human curiosity--most importantly, from asking questions. This may come as a surprise to those who think that math is about finding the one right answer, or those who were told that the "dumb" question they asked just proved they were bad at math. But Cheng shows why people who ask questions like "Why does 1 + 1 = 2?" are at the very heart of the search for mathematical truth. &nbsp; Is Math Real? is a much-needed repudiation of the rigid ways we're taught to do math, and a celebration of the true, curious spirit of the discipline. Written with intelligence and passion, Is Math Real? brings us math as we've never seen it before, revealing how profound insights can emerge from seemingly unlikely sources.&#8239;&#8239;&nbsp;

Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics’ Deepest Truths

History & Philosophy

Unequal: The Math of When Things Do and Don’t Add Up

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics' Deepest Truths

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cheng, Eugenia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Cheng, Eugenia

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Cheng, Eugenia. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics

Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of Mathematics

How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics

Bake Infinite Pie with X + Y

The Joy of Abstraction: An Exploration of Math, Category Theory, and Life

The Joy of Abstraction

Molly and the Mathematical Mysteries: Ten Interactive Adventures in Mathematical Wonderland

Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics’ Deepest Truths

Unequal: The Math of When Things Do and Don’t Add Up

Is Math Real?: How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics' Deepest Truths