Mathematics and the Physical World (Dover Books on Mathematics)

Anything by Morris Kline is worth reading for the average person—and that’s more or less most of us. Read this book if you have any doubt about the logic or truth of the previous statement. Of course there’s far more in this book.

Sure, the examples can be dated (like an $1,800 annual salary being good, and a planet with a 2 Billion population), but NO other old or current text explains math as clearly. The teaching methods are timeless and unique.Simple example. We've all seen dozens of ways to explain the first derivative (the rate of change) of say x^2 as 2x. These range from slope finding to falling objects to matrices. But nearly all I've seen assume a curve, tangents, etc. Kline blows the mind with a rarely seen example-- a circle!He simply "animates" the circle and asks you to mentally extend the radius as it turns in the area-clock like the minute hand, only the size of the circumference. He then points out that the first derivative, the rate of change, is like extending the radius a bit, which "sweeps" out a larger circumference. Then he points out that y' in that case changes (pi)r^2 to 2(pi)r, instantly connecting radius, area and circumference in motion!This may seem trivial until we remember that Feynman used the same clock face example to explain quantum mechanics verbally, which blew the math community away at the time. In fact, connecting Kline's example with Feynman's gives some really interesting "aha" moments of new understanding.The whole book is like this, with many fun stories of how math reflects the natural world. You'll be amazed at the level of math he gets into with such simple assumptions as "very little math knowledge" before beginning. I mean, ALL applied math texts assume a LOT of math to begin. This is truly a rare gem, and a find for any High School STEM teacher wanting a real bridge to advanced concepts. Highly recommended, even in 2013 plus...

You can pay a lot of money for a book that doesn't cover the subject as well as Kline's. The heart of the book is its presentation of the historical scientific contexts of mathematical developments. The math is at the high school level and clearly presented. Kline's writing is not flashy; it is simple and lucid, great qualities for a book like this.

I studied Chemical Engineering as an undergraduate and got to see more than my fair share of mathematics during that time. I got through the program, but there were a lot of fragmented mathematical concepts in my mind. Ten years after graduation I'm finding an interest in revisiting old math textbooks and this book has been a godsend. For me, it shows how the various fields of math fit together. There are just enough anecdotes to make the overall concepts memorable. Morris is a great writer and it feels like he is on your team as he explains the concepts. I started tutoring my 10 year old nephew and I'm taking lessons from this book to make sure he has a sound foundation for more advanced concepts later on. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it highly.

I highly recommend both Mathematics and the Physical World" as well as "Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach" both of which were authored long ago by Morris Kline. If you are looking for a refresher or an aid for a current class, Kline's books will prove highly valuable. The only way I was able to read both of these books is through the efforts of Dover, who has been reissuing out of print science and math books for many years. I was very happy to see that Dover is making at least some of these available in Kindle format.

For the one who loves history of math and science, it's a must. I always enjoyed reading Morris Kline and his vision of math as tool to decipher the world. I always also approved his way and his vision regarding math teaching.What is very interesting is that mathematician developed concepts before others could find a field of application. It's like inventing a tool for a machine which doesn't exist yet. It's a part of the mystery of the human mind. I do not remember who wrote: "God is subtle!".

This book explains math in a very clear way, and connects it to reality. A feature which most math books lack.

Excellent work. Very enjoyable read. Exellent for those studying history of math and science. Poor execution of port from print to digital: frequent errors that appear to be generated by an OCR scan that wasn't thoroughly proofed, which probably won't trip up math veterans. I'm about 30% through with it and will update this review if warranted.