Shakespeare's era was abuzz with mathematical progress, from the new concept of "zero" to Galileo's redraft of the heavens. Now, Rob Eastaway uncovers the many surprising ways math shaped Shakespeare's plays-and his world-touring astronomy, code-breaking, color theory, navigation, music, sports, and more.
● How reliable was a pocket sundial?
● Was math illusionist John Dee the real-life Prospero?
● How long was a Scottish mile, and what could you buy for a groat?
● How did ordinary people use numbers day to day?
● And might Shakespeare have tried that game-changing invention-the pencil?
Full of delights for devotees of both Tudor history and the Bard, Much Ado About Numbers is proof that the arts and sciences have always danced together.