859: 2/4 The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can't Count On, by Julian Havil
Image: Pythagoras The secret of irrational numbers was carefully kept by the Pythagoreans. The reason for this is that the secret created a sort of crisis in the very roots of Pythagorean beliefs. There is an interesting account (its historical accuracy is not certain) about one member of the Pythagorean circle who apparently divulged the secret to someone outside the brotherhood. The traitor was thrown into deep waters and drowned. This episode is sometimes referred to as the first martyr of science. The Irrationals: A Story of the Numbers You Can't Count On,by Julian Havil (https://www.amazon.com/Julian-Havil/e/B001IGUTME/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1) The ancient Greeks discovered them, but it wasn't until the nineteenth century that irrational numbers were properly understood and rigorously defined, and even today not all their mysteries have been revealed. In The Irrationals, the first popular and comprehensive book on the subject, Julian Havil tells the story of irrational numbers and the mathematicians who have tackled their challenges, from antiquity to the twenty-first century. Along the way, he explains why irrational numbers are surprisingly difficult to define―and why so many questions still surround them. Fascinating and illuminating, this is a book for everyone who loves math and the history behind it. https://www.amazon.com/Irrationals-Story-Numbers-Cant-Count/dp/0691163537/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1574894528&sr=8-1 …