<div>At its heart, mathematics is about numbers, which in turn are vital to the way we understand the world. In <I>Professor Stewart’s Incredible Numbers</I>, Ian Stewart offers a delightful entrée into the wider, beautiful world of math through numbers as varied as Pi, 2, i, and -1. In each brief and accessible chapter, Stewart uses a number to introduce readers to an essential mathematical concept. Chapter 1.059463 (the twelfth root of 2, which is the ratio of the frequencies of successive notes on a musical scale) untangles the mathematics of sound and sound waves. Focusing on the Rubik’s Cube, the improbable Chapter 43,252,003,274,489,856,000?the total possible positions?demonstrates how one would calculate that number.<BR><BR>With his characteristic wit and erudition, Stewart makes math easy, accessible, and interesting, allowing even the most math-phobic to confidently venture into the world of incredible numbers that surrounds us.<BR><BR></div>