The Shape of Space

Maintaining the standard of excellence set by the previous edition, this textbook covers the basic geometry of two- and three-dimensional spaces Written by a master expositor, leading researcher in the field, and MacArthur Fellow, it includes experiments to determine the true shape of the universe and contains illustrated examples and engaging exercises that teach mind-expanding ideas in an intuitive and informal way. Bridging the gap from geometry to the latest work in observational cosmology, the book illustrates the connection between geometry and the behavior of the physical universe and explains how radiation remaining from the big bang may reveal the actual shape of the universe.

Jeffrey R. Weeks is a freelance mathematician in Canton, New York. A MacArthur Fellow and the author of numerous scholarly papers on geometry, topology, and cosmology, he splits his time between scientific research with cosmologists hoping to use satellite data to determine the shape of the universe and the development of interactive 3D software and other materials that bring the modern concept of space to middle school, high school, and college students. Dr. Weeks received the A.B. degree (1978) in mathematics from Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, and the M.A. (1980) and Ph.D. (1985) degrees in mathematics from Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey