The Unfinished Game

Pascal, Fermat, and the Seventeenth-Century Letter that Made the World Modern

By: Keith Devlin

Write A Review

Paperback | 23 March 2010 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
208 Pages

Age
18+

Dimensions(cm)
1.7 x 14 x 20.8

Paperback

$59.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $15.00 with

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

In the early seventeenth century, the outcome of something as simple as a dice roll was consigned to the realm of unknowable chance. Mathematicians largely agreed that it was impossible to predict the probability of an occurrence. Then, in 1654, Blaise Pascal wrote to Pierre de Fermat explaining that he had discovered how to calculate risk. The two collaborated to develop what is now known as probability theory -- a concept that allows us to think rationally about decisions and events.

In The Unfinished Game, Keith Devlin masterfully chronicles Pascal and Fermat''s mathematical breakthrough, connecting a centuries-old discovery with its remarkable impact on the modern world.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Philosophy History of Western Philosophy Biographies & True Stories Biographies Science, Technology & Medicine Biographies Mathematics Probability & Statistics History of Mathematics Optimisation Game Theory Philosophy of Mathematics

Note to the Reader	p. vii
Preface	p. ix
Monday, August 24, 1654	p. 1
A Problem Worthy of Great Minds	p. 13
On the Shoulders of a Giant	p. 31
A Man of Slight Build	p. 49
The Great Amateur	p. 65
Terrible Confusions	p. 73
Out of the Gaming Room	p. 85
Into the Everyday World	p. 105
The Chance of Your Life	p. 117
The Measure of Our Ignorance	p. 145
The Key Letter from Pascal to Fermat	p. 171
Index	p. 183
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The Unfinished Game

Pascal, Fermat, and the Seventeenth-Century Letter that Made the World Modern

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Mathematics

The Infinite Game

From the bestselling author of Start With Why

The Art of Gathering

How We Meet and Why It Matters

Humble Pi

A Comedy of Maths Errors

How to Win At Chess

The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond

The Black Swan

The Impact of the Highly Improbable

The Delicate Art of Brute Force

How to Compute It When You Can't Solve It

Antifragile

Things That Gain from Disorder

The Score

How to Stop Playing Someone Else's Game

Primary Mathematics

4th Edition - Integrating Theory with Practice

Statistics and Data Handling for Biologists

A Student's Guide

Statistics and Data Handling for Biologists

A Student's Guide

Second Grade Math with Confidence Bundle (Math with Confidence)

Math with Confidence

Precalculus

8th Edition - Mathematics for Calculus, International Metric Edition

Modal Semirings and Applications

Trends in Logic

Methusalem Seminars at Ghent Analysis and PDE Center

Extended Abstracts 2023/2024

Data Science and Social Research III

Epistemology, Methods, Technology, Applications, and Relation to Artificial Intelligence

Stochastic Control in Energy, Environmental and Resource Management Applications

Emerging Methodologies and Applications in Modelling, Identification and Control

Recent Advances in Information Systems

Proceedings of the ICRAIS, Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius, 10-12 September 2025

Tomoko Fuse's Amazing Kusudama Origami

Geometric Paper Art from Japan's Leading Expert!

Calculus

9th edition - Early Transcendentals, Metric

Fooled By Randomness

The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

Geometry

Grades 6 - 8

The Times Ultimate Killer Su Doku Book 18

200 of the deadliest Su Doku puzzles

Calculus, Metric Edition

9th edition

This product is categorised by