Math adventures with Python : an illustrated guide to exploring math with code / Peter Farrell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Farrell, Peter, 1966- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mathematics--Computer-assisted instruction.

Mathematics.

Python (Computer program language).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (306 pages)

Edition:

1st edition

Place of Publication:

San Francisco : No Starch Press, [2019]

System Details:

text file

Summary:

Math Adventures with Python will show you how to harness the power of programming to keep math relevant and fun. With the aid of the Python programming language, you’ll learn how to visualize solutions to a range of math problems as you use code to explore key mathematical concepts like algebra, trigonometry, matrices, and cellular automata. Once you’ve learned the programming basics like loops and variables, you’ll write your own programs to solve equations quickly, make cool things like an interactive rainbow grid, and automate tedious tasks like factoring numbers and finding square roots. You’ll learn how to write functions to draw and manipulate shapes, create oscillating sine waves, and solve equations graphically. You’ll also learn how to: •Draw and transform 2D and 3D graphics with matrices •Make colorful designs like the Mandelbrot and Julia sets with complex numbers •Use recursion to create fractals like the Koch snowflake and the Sierpinski triangle •Generate virtual sheep that graze on grass and multiply autonomously •Crack secret codes using genetic algorithms As you work through the book’s numerous examples and increasingly challenging exercises, you’ll code your own solutions, create beautiful visualizations, and see just how much more fun math can be!

Contents:

Intro

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE TECHNICAL REVIEWER

BRIEF CONTENTS

CONTENTS IN DETAIL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

The Problem with School Math

About This Book

Who Should Use This Book

What's in This Book?

Downloading and Installing Python

Starting IDLE

Installing Processing

PART I: HITCHIN' UP YOUR PYTHON WAGON

1 DRAWING POLYGONS WITH THE TURTLE MODULE

Python's turtle Module

Repeating Code with Loops

Creating Shortcuts with Functions

Using Variables to Draw Shapes

Equilateral Triangles

Summary

2 MAKING TEDIOUS ARITHMETIC FUN WITH LISTS AND LOOPS

Basic Operators

Data Types in Python

Using Lists to Store Values

Using Lists in Loops

Summation

Finding the Average of a List of Numbers

3 GUESSING AND CHECKING WITH CONDITIONALS

Comparison Operators

Making Decisions with if and else Statements

Using Conditionals to Find Factors

Creating a Number-Guessing Game

Finding Square Roots

PART 2: RIDING INTO MATH TERRITORY

4 TRANSFORMING AND STORING NUMBERS WITH ALGEBRA

Solving First-Degree Equations

Solving Higher-Degree Equations

Solving Equations Graphically

5 TRANSFORMING SHAPES WITH GEOMETRY

Drawing a Circle

Specifying Location Using Coordinates

Transformation Functions

Animating Objects

Creating an Interactive Rainbow Grid

Drawing Complex Patterns Using Triangles

6 CREATING OSCILLATIONS WITH TRIGONOMETRY

Using Trigonometry for Rotations and Oscillations

Writing Functions to Draw Polygons

Making Sine Waves

Creating a Spirograph Program

Making Harmonographs

7 COMPLEX NUMBERS

The Complex Coordinate System

Adding Complex Numbers

Multiplying a Complex Number by i

Multiplying Two Complex Numbers.

Writing the magnitude() Function

Creating the Mandelbrot Set

Creating the Julia Set

8 USING MATRICES FOR COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS

What Is a Matrix?

Adding Matrices

Multiplying Matrices

Order Matters in Matrix Multiplication

Drawing 2D Shapes

Transforming Matrices

Transposing Matrices

Rotating Matrices in Real Time

Creating 3D Shapes

Creating the Rotation Matrix

Solving Systems of Equations with Matrices

PART 3: BLAZING YOUR OWN TRAIL

9 BUILDING OBJECTS WITH CLASSES

Bouncing Ball Program

Grazing Sheep Program

10 CREATING FRACTALS USING RECURSION

The Length of a Coastline

Koch Snowflake

Sierpinski Triangle

Square Fractal

Dragon Curve

11 CELLULAR AUTOMATA

Creating a Cellular Automaton

Python Lists Are Strange

Playing the Game of Life

The Elementary Cellular Automaton

12 SOLVING PROBLEMS USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS

Using a Genetic Algorithm to Guess Phrases

Solving the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP)

INDEX.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Includes index.

ISBN:

9781492071228

1492071226

9781593278687

1593278683

OCLC:

1056203627