Numbers are beautiful. Since you’re reading GeekDad, you probably already know this, but did you know that a new iOS app called Incredible Numbers presents some aspects of numbers in an entirely new and interactive way that is sure to get you tapping, pinching, and swiping your iPad like an arcade game? Incredible Numbers is by the entertaining and informative Professor Ian Stewart and brought to the iPad by the impressive and talented people at Touch Press.
With the simple premise of examining how the patterns of numbers affects the world around us, Stewart launches into an in-depth look at numbers and their flowing beauty. The app focuses on just 8 main areas, yet there is still an impressive amount of depth. Click on the subject bubble for primes and you’re whisked away to 3 subtopics covering patterns and primes, finding factors, and hunting for primes. With each subtopic, there is extensive information and illustration that explore the idea, along with a number of interactive experiments that help bring to life the lessons that Stewart is trying to get across.
I’m a huge fan of ciphers, so I was especially interested in the section on codes. The Caesar cipher seemed a little basic, but the RSA code and the Enigma code sections (and the interactive examples that accompanied) were worth the price of the app on their own.
Beyond codes and primes, the app delves into polygons, infinity, pi, music, nature, and factorials. Within, among other things, you’ll learn the math and geometry behind the heptadecagon, finding the smallest infinite number, the history of pi, how waves and vibrations affect sound, how nature is influenced by Fibonacci numbers, and how many possible ways there are to tie your shoes.
And, once you are finished reading and playing with the app, there’s a section full of puzzles to challenge you and tease your brain. Incredible Numbers is a fabulous app and one that is definitely worth checking out. When you’re done, you may look at numbers in a whole new way!
