Geometry: A Very Short Introduction

Summary

The study of geometry is at least 2500 years old, and it is within this field that the concept of mathematical proof—deductive reasoning from a set of axioms—first arose. To this day geometry remains a very active area of research in mathematics.

This Very Short Introduction covers the areas of mathematics falling under geometry, starting with topics such as Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries, and ranging to curved spaces, projective geometry in Renaissance art, and geometry of space-time inside a black hole. Starting from the basics, Maciej Dunajski proceeds from concrete examples (of mathematical objects like Platonic solids, or theorems like the Pythagorean theorem) to general principles. Throughout, he outlines the role geometry plays in the broader context of science and art.