The universe in zero words The story of mathematics as told through equations

Using 24 great equations, Mackenzie (freelance writer, former mathematics academic) tours the history of mathematics. Four criteria measure an equation's greatness: surprises, aesthetic conciseness, significant consequences, and timeless universality. The equations are presented within four broad divisions of mathematical history. Many are expected, e.g., Pythagorean theorem, fundamental theorem of calculus, Newton's laws, prime number theorem, Fourier series, Maxwell's equations, Einstein's relativity equation. But some equations are surprises themselves and seem forced, such as the discovery of zero (1 - 1 = 0), Cardano's formula for solving cubics, Hamilton's quaternions, Fermat's last theorem, Abel's proof of the quintic, and the Black-Scholes equation for financial derivatives. Nonetheless, Mackenzie provides interesting insights regarding the equations, such as relating whale communications to a model of a non-Euclidean geometry or the role of cigar smoke in the quantization of angular momentum of quantum particles. Yes, Euler's gem of an equation (e^D]i^D]^D*p + 1 = 0) appears, but as a generalization of De Moivre's theorem. The reference list provides options for readers to dig deeper into the mathematics behind the equations. The book is an enjoyable read, but should not be mistaken for a history of mathematics. At best, it is a guided tour of important sights. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. J. Johnson Western Washington University