Most people are familiar with historys great equations Newtons Law of Gravity for instance or Einsteins theory of relativity. But the way these mathematical breakthroughs have contributed to human progress is seldom appreciated. In In Pursuit of the Unknown celebrated mathematician Ian Stewart untangles the roots of our most important mathematical statements to show that equations have long been a driving force behind nearly every aspect of our lives. Using seventeen of our most crucial equationsincluding the Wave Equation that allowed engineers to measure a buildings response to earthquakes saving countless lives and the BlackScholes model used by bankers to track the price of financial derivatives over timeStewart illustrates that many of the advances we now take for granted were made possible by mathematical discoveries. An approachable lively and informative guide to the mathematical building blocks of modern life In Pursuit of the Unknown is a penetrating exploration of how we have also used equations to make sense of and in turn influence our world. show more