The acclaimed author of A Tour of the Calculus and The Infinite Ascent offers an enlightening and enthralling tour of the basics of mathematics, and reveals a world of fascination in fundamental mathematical ideas. One, Two, Three is David Berlinski’s captivating exploration of the foundation of mathematics, its fundamental ideas, and why they matter. By unraveling the complex answers to these most elementary questions—What is a number? How do addition, subtraction, and other functions actually work? What are geometry and logic?—Berlinski reveals the intricacy behind their seemingly simple exteriors. Peppered with enlightening historical anecdotes and asides on some of history’s most fascinating mathematicians, One, Two, Three, revels in the beauty of numbers as Berlinski shows us how and why these often slippery concepts are as essential to the field of mathematics as to who we are.

Would you like to add columns of numbers as quickly as you can read them, or do multiplication without carrying numbers? How about doing complex subtraction or long division problems in mere seconds? Well, now anyone can become a math whiz with this amazing mathematical system that can have you solving problems in addition, subtraction, division and multiplication as fast as any calculator and with an even greater degree of precision. It's based on the same idea used in the Asian abacus, but it requires no more equipment than a pencil and paper. Now shoppers will always know if they're really getting the best deal on groceries, salespeople can compute and track their commissions with ease, and students can complete homework faster and more accurately than ever before. This system has already been proven successful for thousands the world over, and now you can put it to work for you too.