Mathematics Department Library
There is a modest departmental library for Sixth Form use which supplements the mathematical stock in the Mervyn Peake Library.
Reading, other than of textbooks, is not something pupils associate with mathematics. They need to be persuaded that they should read, and then seek advice concerning what they should read and how they should read. (It is impossible, for example, to read a serious mathematical work without being armed with pencil and paper.) Those interested may care to consult the Cambridge reading list or that of another leading university's Mathematics Department. Links are provided to those of Oxford, Imperial and Warwick.
Recent acquisitions include:
Stewart: Taming the Infinite
Professor Stewart has the distinction of having taught two of the members of the Eltham College Mathematics Department, though he is unlikely to see this as his principal claim to fame. Taming the Infinite is an engaging history of mathematics.
Larson: Problem-Solving Through Problems
Genuine problem-solving has all but vanished from English mathematical education. This book, though aimed at undergraduate mathematicians, contains much that is accessible and a great deal of useful advice.
Gowers: The Princeton Companion to Mathematics
This is an outstanding work of reference edited by a Fields medallist mathematician.
Boolos et al: Computability and Logic
This is a brilliant but demanding book. The early chapters on Turing machines and the general idea of computability can be read with profit, even if the later logical and metalogical material can be hard going. The book is a classic.
Du Sautoy: Finding Moonshine
Professor du Sautoy guides us through symmetry, and gives some insight into the working life of a mathematician. This is a sequel to his The Music of the Primes.
Maor: Trigonometric Delights
At least one member of the Mathematics Department finds no contradiction in this title. For him trigonometric identities are a source of great pleasure. This book suggest that he is not alone.
