a new book on irrational numbers, hmmm

[Don Shepherd]

Look at the cover on this new book about irrational numbers.

(4)

(9)

(16)

hmmm. I hope this guy knows what irrational numbers are, or maybe he should try to get the cover changed before the book is published.

[Harald]

smile :)

[Allen]

I think he and the self-charging car man should get together and write a book. It would be full of wonder- and mystique!

[Alex S]

Thanks, Allen. YMMD! :-)

[Paul Dale]

I own a couple of this author's other books and they are decent -- lacking the formality and proofs of a proper text but easy enough to read.

- Pauli

[Gordon Strickland]

Utilizing Amazon's "See larger image" option, one observes that at least sqrt(1) is omitted from the list.

In the author's partial defense, I understand that in a publishing project the design of the book jacket is often turned over to someone other than the author, perhaps even to a dreamy artistic type. If it is difficult to maintain sufficient oversight, mistakes like this are likely to occur.

[Don Shepherd]

Well, since the publication date is three months from now, perhaps the author can get the cover changed before they go to print!

It is possible that the author just wanted to show that irrational numbers can be frequently found in the world of square roots; that's certainly true, just not all square roots.

I pre-ordered the book, it's an interesting topic. I've always struggled explaining this to my middle school math students, perhaps I'll learn something.

[David Jedelsky]

Common, I don't see anywhere on the cover written that sqrt(4) is irrational number :).
And isn't it nice how the irrationals are mixed with ints in this small geometric construction of consecutive square roots?

[Gerson W. Barbosa]

Yes, they are just the hypothenuses of consecutive right triangles with one leg always equal to one. Sqrt(4), Sqrt(9) and Sqrt(16) have been left unsimplified so the pattern is not spoiled. Perhaps the square roots should only have to be moved a bit to make it more clear.

[Jorge Rodriguez]

I believe that the cover is illustrating how irrational numbers were discovered by the greek mathematicians in antiquity.

[Peter Murphy (Livermore)]

Or use different colors to distinguish what needs to be distinguished.

[Alexander Oestert]

I find much more disturbing the 'irrational' use of the Greek letters. ;-)

[Mike (Stgt)]

.

[Lode]

To be fair, sqrt(2), sqrt(3), sqrt(5) and so on are also on the cover...

[Don Shepherd]

Yes, but they are irrational numbers.

[Bill (Smithville, NJ)]

Hi Don,

I think the cover is demonstrating a "root spiral" or "root snail".

Granted, this really doesn't have to do with irrational numbers and would be more suited for the cover for a book on Spirals.

Bill

[Don Shepherd]

There is a spiral associated with shells and the golden ratio, which I believe is an irrational number, so that may make sense.

I guess we'll just have to wait for the book to be published and see what the author has to say. I'm sure it will be interesting.