Mapmatics: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers

Historical insights and human stories . . . Highly readable' - Ian Stewart, author of What's the Use? 'Really special' - Edward Brooke-Hitching, author of The Phantom Atlas How does a delivery driver distribute hundreds of packages in a single day? Why does remote Alaska have such a large airport? Where should we look for elusive serial killers? The answers lie in the crucial connection between maps and maths. In Mapmatics, Dr Paulina Rowinska takes us on a fascinating journey to discover the mathematical foundations of cartography and cartographical influences on mathematics. From a sixteenth-century map that remains an indispensable navigation tool while emphasizing the North–South divide, and maps of voting districts that can empower or silence whole communities, to public transport maps that both guide and mislead the passengers, Rowinska reveals how maps and maths shape not only our sense of space and time but also our worldview. Through entertaining stories, fascinating real-world examples and a cast of unforgettable characters, Mapmatics helps us to appreciate the mathematical methods and ideas behind maps. And, by illuminating how our world works, it leaves us better equipped to understand and look after it.