99 Variations on a Proof

An exploration of mathematical style through 99 different proofs of the same theoremThis book offers a multifaceted perspective on mathematics by demonstrating 99 different proofs of the same theorem.Each chapter solves an otherwise unremarkable equation in distinct historical, formal, and imaginative styles that range from Medieval, Topological, and Doggerel to Chromatic, Electrostatic, and Psychedelic.With a rare blend of humor and scholarly aplomb, Philip Ording weaves these variations into an accessible and wide-ranging narrative on the nature and practice of mathematics. Inspired by the experiments of the Paris-based writing group known as the Oulipo-whose members included Raymond Queneau, Italo Calvino, and Marcel Duchamp-Ording explores new ways to examine the aesthetic possibilities of mathematical activity. 99 Variations on a Proof is a mathematical take on Queneau’s Exercises in Style, a collection of 99 retellings of the same story, and it draws unexpected connections to eve