How does a delivery driver distribute hundreds of packages in a single working day? Why does
remote Alaska have such a large airport? Where should we look for elusive serial killers? The
answers lie in the crucial connection between maps and maths. In Mapmatics Dr Paulina
Rowinska embarks on a fascinating journey to discover the mathematical foundations of
cartography and cartographical influences on mathematics. From a sixteenth-century map that
remains an indispensable navigation tool despite emphasizing the North-South divide and maps
of voting districts that can empower or silence whole communities to public transport maps
that both guide and mislead passengers she reveals how maps and maths shape not only our sense
of space and time but also our worldview. Through entertaining stories surprising real-world
examples and a cast of unforgettable characters Mapmatics helps us to appreciate the
mathematical methods and ideas behind maps. And by illuminating how our world works leaves us
better equipped to understand and look after it.
