World's Most Famous Math Problem: The Proof of Fermat's Last Theorem and Other Mathematical Mysteries

This basically gets even the simplest mathematical concepts wrong, For instance, the author does not understand the difference between empirical induction and mathematical induction. I bought this book because Martin Gardner's endorsement is prominently displayed. I have long been angry with the great man for lending his stamp of approval to this puddle of drivel. However, I have recently learned that he was sent only a few innocuous fragments on the basis of which he wrote some kind words. Gardner was had, just as will anyone unfortunate enough to spend money on this book.

Let me remind the potential buyer of this book the statement of Fermat's Last Theorem:There do not exist positive integers a, b, c, and n such that a^n + b^n = c^n and n>2.Browsed through the book in a shop. The first thing that caught my eye was something along the lines of "a^n + b^n = c^n has a solution for n=2 by the Theorem of Pithagoras." Well, Ms. Savant, there happen to be solutions for n=2 (the Pithagorean triples), but this has absolutely nothing to do with Pithagoras' theorem. All Pithagoras' theorem says is the square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is the sum of the squares of the catheti; it does not guarantee the hypotenuse will be an integer for some combination of integer catheti. This is so elementary a twelve-year-old could work it out, and you are trying to say Wiles's peer-reviewed proof is wrong? The referees for the original manuscript did catch an error, and the proof had to be rewritten, but they were quite specific about what the problem was. And I'm pretty sure at least they knew some middle-school mathematics.

Vos Savant has had no math education and it shows. She wrote a book on a subject she clearly knows nothing about in three weeks time, in the process dismissing Wiles' proof of FLT, despite being peer-reviewed by mathematicians who DO know what they're talking about. Nick Katz found an error in the original proof, an error which Vos Savant wouldn't understand if they took three weeks to explain it to her.She claims that there are no perfect geometry is found in nature: "The earth is not a perfect sphere.""The square root of +1 is a real number because +1 x +1 = +1, however, the square root of -1 is imaginary because -1 x -1 = +1." Sic Vos Savant. This is something high school students can understand correctly.If you don't want to become more stupid after reading a book, avoid this one.

The item i bought is a book. I have not red it yet but what i can say is that it has arrived until my home in Italy with a very little late. It seems very new, and i payed less than i would have done in a library. I'm happy to have bought it through Amazon!