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Maths Trains Brains

Five people who used maths to change the world for Years 7 and 8

The stories of inventors, innovators and trailblazers often inspire us to try new things or offer us a new perspective. Introduce your teen to the world of inspiring people who used maths to help them change the world.

Seventeen Equations That Changed The World

Written by Ian Stewart and edited by John Davey.

From Newton’s Law of Gravity to the Black-Scholes model used by bankers, equations have contributed to many innovations in the modern world! The book explores how Pythagoras' Theorem led to the development of GPS, how logarithms are applied in architecture and why imaginary numbers were important in the development of the digital camera. This book might help your teen wonder… how will maths be used to change the world next?

Blockhead: The Life Of Fibonacci

Written by Joseph D'Agnese and illustrated by John O'Brien.

This book tells the story of Leonardo Fibonacci - a man whose attention to detail, passion for numbers and endless wonder helped him notice the recurring patterns in nature, and led to his discovery of what has come to be known as the Fibonacci sequence. Next time you’re walking outdoors, this book might inspire you to notice and wonder about the world around you.

Hidden Figures (Young Readers' Edition)

Written by Margot Lee Shetterly.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, four incredible mathematicians at NASA used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate how to launch a rocket and put astronauts into space. This true story tells the amazing and awe-inspiring tale of how mathematics, and mathematicians, came to the rescue of a very special mission!

Alex's Adventure In Numberland

Written by Alex Bellos.

In this book, Alex Bellos travels across the globe in search of weird and wonderful mathematical phenomena. On his travels, he meets with people with incredible mathematical skills and understanding… and also a startlingly mathematical chimpanzee. Help inspire your child to think of maths in a multitude of ways with this page-turning book and its rich collection of stories of some people who used, and developed, mathematics that changed our world.

Women In Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed The World

Written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky.

A great collection of stories about 50 famous scientists from ancient to modern times. Profiles include renowned biologist Rachel Carson and primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as less famous pioneers, such as Dr. Patricia Bath and Barbara McClintock, a Nobel Prize-winning cytogeneticist. Fuel your child’s passion for maths by telling them the stories of the remarkable figures that have gone before and show them how maths has been used to change our world.

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