Computational Mania - Paperback

by Jason Earls (Author)

Computational Mania is a lively exploration of computational number theory through the lens of recreational mathematics. Blending rigorous experimentation with curiosity-driven discovery, this expanded edition-significantly updated from its 2017 debut with over 20% new material-invites readers into the intersection of pure mathematics and high-performance computing. Across a diverse collection of articles, the book examines topics ranging from digit-iteration phenomena and unusual prime constructions to factorial-square relationships. Author Jason Earls guides readers through an eclectic digital landscape, from the decimal expansions of Pi e and the "60000006" anomaly to the structure of Brilliant numbers and the distribution of Harshad numbers. Readers will encounter investigations such as primes formed from powers of ten and Fibonacci numbers, as well as the behavior of palindromes under simple transformations. Beyond computation, the book includes four original fictional stories-including Finding a Real Zen Master-that explore the psychological side of discovery. With chapters on fractal art, Turing machines, Conway's Game of Life, and playful curiosities like upside-down calculator primes, this volume serves as a field guide for the modern independent researcher. Accessible yet thought-provoking, Computational Mania celebrates experimentation and the beauty of numbers.