Symmetry, shape, and space. An introduction to mathematics through geometry (Q2734151)

This is an excellent book on geometry written at an elementary level. The authors write that they aim at providing interesting and varied content, with a common theme of geometry and suitably graduated activities, examples, and models the reader can investigate. The prerequisites for reading this book are just traditional high school geometry. So the starting point of the book are the basics of Euclidean geometry like measurement of lengths, angles, and areas. What comes then is a wealth of examples, exercises and results, always stimulating the reader to make his own experiments, drawings, and conjectures. It is almost impossible to survey completely the contents of the book. Let me just mention the following topics: Celtic knots, geometric constructions, the golden ratio, plane kinematics, regular and irregular tilings, kaleidoscopes, wallpaper groups, flatland and the fourth dimension, Platonic and Archimedean solids, spirals, helices, Fibonacci numbers and spiral growth, perspective drawing, optical illusions, hyperbolic geometry (in the plane), map projections, curvature of curves and surfaces, minimal surfaces and soup bubbles, graph theory, topological properties of surfaces, colouring of maps. The book is full with nicely drawn pictures thus emphasizing the visual aspect of geometry. A final chapter includes hints and solutions to selected problems and a large number of references.