Numbers are integral to our everyday lives & feature in everything we do In this Very Short Introduction Peter M Higgins the renowned mathematics writer unravels the world of numbers; demonstrating its richness & providing a comprehensive view of the idea of the number Higgins paints a picture of the number world considering how the modern number system matured over centuries Explaining the various number types & showing how they behave he introduces key concepts such as integers fractions real numbers & imaginary numbers By approaching the topic in a non-technical way & emphasising the basic principles & interactions of numbers with mathematics & science Higgins also demonstrates the practical interactions & modern applications such as encryption of confidential data on the internet ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable