What's the Use?: How Mathematics Shapes Everyday Life

The widespread use of computers may give the impression that mathematics is no longer necessary, that today's technology allows us to perform the most complex calculations in a fraction of a second.
This naive notion prompted the renowned science populariser Ian Stewart to reveal to readers not so obvious merits of his beloved discipline, for its role is by no means limited to calculations. Thanks to computers, which came along to free us from routine tasks, we are engaging with mathematics in a different way.
It may seem that mathematics is out of date and become obsolete, but this view is wrong. Without mathematics, the modern world would simply fall apart. To prove my point, I will show you its application in politics and law, in kidney transplantation and supermarket delivery, in internet security, movies’ visual effects and springs’ manufacture. We will see that without mathematics, medical scanners, digital photography, broadband communication channels, and satellite navigation would be unimaginable. It helps us predict the outcomes of climate change, defend against terrorists, and protect against internet hackers.

Ian Stewart. What's the Use?: How Mathematics Shapes Everyday Life / Translated from English by Natalia Lisova. Scientific Editor Konstantin Knop. Editor Vyacheslav Ionov. — Moscow: Alpina Non- Fiction, 2024.