No mathematical depth and it sometimes reads like a children's novel

books:


	• Fermat's Last Theorem: Unlocking the Secret of an Ancient Mathematical Problem Amir D. Aczel Basic Books, 2007 - 160 pages average customer review:based on 34 reviews view larger image
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No mathematical depth and it sometimes reads like a children's novel

This is one of the books that appeared in print shortly after the announcement was made that Andrew Wiles had found a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. In many ways, the public reaction to the announcement was surprising; there was a great deal of interest in the problem and therefore, publishers rushed to get a popular book out on the subject.
This book is one in the category of popular books, there is very little in the way of complicated mathematics and even then it is not really needed to understand the contents. Aczel weaves a complicated historical drama and often interjects verbiage more suited to a children's novel. For example, on page 133, there is the passage:

"Wiles walked around the department for several hours. He didn't know whether he was awake or dreaming. Every once in a while, he would return to his desk to see if his fantastic finding was still there - and it was. He went home. "

Many if not most of the greatest mathematicians of the ages are mentioned at some point in this book. While none of them are done in depth, there is enough for you to recognize the convoluted paths that solutions to complex problems often take. Furthermore mathematics is replete with "Aha!" moments where centuries of effort are suddenly distilled into a clear solution. Wiles had such a moment when he patched a serious hole in his original proof.
If you are interested in a detailed explanation of what Fermat's Last Theorem is and how it was proven, you need to look elsewhere. However, if a superficial explanation is the point of your interest and can tolerate some occasional poetic license in the area of exaggeration, then this book will work for you.

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For me useful

I think the most telling thing about this book is that
it is out of print and going used for $0.13 from sellers.
One thing you learn about mathematics books is:
if they are any good at all they hold their value, even used.
The major thing the author does is show contempt for the reader by
never giving any real equations. I find his end notes
probably the most useful and they also show that he had insufficient background to write this book. For me the use of the book is the reference
to the mathematicians who did the work historically.
I'm disgusted that he never wrote out the modular form
equation that is on what the whole proof rests.
For that he is a cheat as an author:
people aren't dumb and they don't need this level of dumb me down text.

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350 Year Old Detective Story

In 1637 Pierre de Fermat scribbled some notes in a margin of a mathematics book and the world has been talking about it ever since. Was his "last theorem" ever real or did he simply invent a story to boost his ego? Perhaps we will never know, but three centuries later Prof. Andrew Wiles did provide the solution to the greatest mathematical conundrum in history (or at least the most famous). Some people argue that Prof. Wiles used a mathematics unknown to Fermat, but if the Egyptians could build the pyramids in a mere 23 years (a feat that would take us with all our modern technology more than a century, if the money and determination could even be acquired) perhaps the knowledge of Fermat was lost over the centuries as well. We are certainly rediscovering things ancient people knew, so who is to say Fermat did not have a solution?

Though slow at times this is a fantastic detective story for anyone who loves mathematics (don't worry, you don't have to be a genius to enjoy it). A wonderful afternoon read.

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An Introductory Book

While I did enjoy this book, I believe that it only serves as an introductory preface to the theorem. It does present all of the main ideas, but it fails to provide a network with which to tie them all together. When used with another book, such as Fermats Enigma by Simon Singh, many of the ideas come together so that the reader can see where Andrew Wiles proof came from and how it works. I would recommend this book for those who have very little knowledge of the theorem and would like to know a general outline.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Simple, elegant, and utterly impossible to prove, Fermat's last theorem captured the imaginations of mathematicians for more than three centuries. For some, it became a wonderful passion. For others it was an obsession that led to deceit, intrigue, or insanity. In a volume filled with the clues, red herrings, and suspense of a mystery novel, Amir D. Aczel reveals the previously untold story of the people, the history, and the cultures that lie behind this scientific triumph. From formulas devised from the farmers of ancient Babylonia to the dramatic proof of Fermat's theorem in 1993, this extraordinary work takes us along on an exhilarating intellectual treasure hunt. Revealing the hidden mathematical order of the natural world in everything from stars to sunflowers, Fermat's Last Theorem brilliantly combines philosophy and hard science with investigative journalism. The result: a real-life detective story of the intellect, at once intriguing, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down.

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