Science and Inquiry discussion

For January 2016, we will be reading Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem.

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

Is anybody reading this book?

Yes!
Still working on it.

No - sorry. The subject matter just doesn't appeal to me.

No, couldn't find an audio book for it & it probably wouldn't be good in that media. It doesn't really interest me, either. I've never had much use for maths above simple geometry & algebra. I've forgotten almost all the calculus I took.

I started this one just around New Year's but got distracted. I really like the author's writing style. Finished chapter one. I never realized that Pythagoras was almost like a cult figure and that there was an actual Pythagorean Brotherhood. I wonder if the Cylons from Battlestar Gallactica were named after Cylon, who was rejected from the Brotherhood (pg 26.)

I have a fantastic review of this book which unfortunately the margins of this page can not contain... But seriously folks, I am very interested to read this book and am waiting for it to come in to my local library.

I'd like to -- but working on finishing a few other books first.

I enjoyed Andrew Wiles passion. I found this BBC documentary that compliments the book very well. You can put a face to the names. Or, for those who don't wish to read the book, you can get almost the entire story from the documentary at this link:

https://vimeo.com/18216532

Charlene wrote: "I enjoyed Andrew Wiles passion. I found this BBC documentary that compliments the book very well. You can put a face to the names. Or, for those who don't wish to read the book, you can get almost ..."

Thank you. Now to set aside an hour to watch it.

I read the book a year ago, and really really enjoyed it. While the story is about a mathematical problem, the author makes it sound like a detective story! Here is my review.

I am just starting to read this. Hopefully, I'll be able to complete this by the end of the month.

Inderzit wrote: "I am just starting to read this. Hopefully, I'll be able to complete this by the end of the month."

If you can't, it's no big deal. The discussion thread will still be open and you can continue posting ad infinitum.

Great section on how women have been discouraged from studying mathematics over the centuries, and the life of Sophie Germain, in chapter 4.

I watched the latest episode of the TV Series "Scorpion" the other night. The character Walter O'Brien claimed on the show to have proved Fermat's Last Theorem when he was 9! He is not mentioned in Simon Singh's book. LOL

Glynn wrote: "I watched the latest episode of the TV Series "Scorpion" the other night. The character Walter O'Brien claimed on the show to have proved Fermat's Last Theorem when he was 9! He is not mentioned in..."

hahaha

Glynn wrote: "I watched the latest episode of the TV Series "Scorpion" the other night. The character Walter O'Brien claimed on the show to have proved Fermat's Last Theorem when he was 9! He is not mentioned in..."

That was a deliberate oversight? :-)

Charlene wrote: "I enjoyed Andrew Wiles passion. I found this BBC documentary that compliments the book very well. You can put a face to the names..."

Thanks Charlene, this was great. After finishing the book I watched this and it was cool to see interviews with the actual characters from the book.