23 May
2010
23 May
'10
12:33 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
In case you've not already heard, I have just been
told that Martin
Gardner has passed away.
Wow, I'm really sorry to hear that.
He was, of course, responsible for many excellent books of mathematical
puzzles. He had a defintie knack of being able to make something simple
enough to understand but still keeping enough mathematics there to be
worthwhile.
The world is certainly a poorer place without him.
Indeed.
He certainly inspered me to love mathemaitcs. Had I not read his books
some years ago, my life would have been very different. I don't think I
am exagerating if I say that without his books I would not have passed
A-level mathematics...
True story : Many years ago I was given a couple of his books as a
Newtonsday presnet. Once contained a chapter on base -2 arithmeatic. I
spent the next day or so designing a base -2 full-adder circuit and
soldering it up. Never found any practical use for it, but...
You could always
solder up a computer around it. :-)
-tony