Tracking the automatic ant and other mathematical explorations

by David Gale

For those fascinated by the abstract universe of mathematics, David Gale's columns in The Mathematical Intelligencer have been a prime source of entertainment. Here, Gale's columns are collected for the first time in book form. The subject matter ranges far and wide across the field of mathematics but frequently returns to favorite themes: triangles, tilings, the mysterious properties of sequences given by simple recursions, games and paradoxes, and the particular automation that gives this collection its title, the automatic ant. The level of these mini-essays varies from down-to-earth matters like the most economical way to lace shoes, to semiphilosophical speculations on the nature of mathematical truth. Whatever your tastes in mathematics, whether you are a professional mathematician or a general reader, you will find Gale's writing both educational and entertaining.