The Golden Section: Nature's Greatest Secret (Wooden Books, 18)

A concise and useful handbook on the Golden Section--also known as the Golden Ratio and Golden Mean. The Golden Section is a line segment divided into two parts, such that the ratio of the short portion to the longer portion is equal to the ratio of the longer portion to the whole. It is one of the most elegant and beautiful ratios of the mathematical universe because of its combination of elegance and simplicity--hence the divine nature of its name. Drawing on art, architecture, philosophy, nature, mathematics, geometry, and music--and beautifully illustrated in the Wooden Books fashion with all manner of images--The Golden Section will tell the story of this remarkable construction and its wide ranging impact on civilization and the natural world.