The square root of 2 : a dialogue concerning a number and a sequence

1. Asking the right questions 2. Irrationality and its consequences 3. The power of a little algebra 4. Witchcraft 5. Odds and ends

Here, in an imaginary dialogue between teacher and student, readers will learn why the square root of 2 is an important number in its own right, and how, in puzzling out its special qualities, mathematicians gained insights into the illusive nature of irrational numbers. Using no more than basic high school algebra and geometry, David Flannery manages to convey not just why the square root of 2 is fascinating and significant, but how the whole enterprise of mathematical thinking can be played out in a dialogue that is imaginative, intriguing, and engaging.