We use addition on a daily basis--yet how many of us stop to truly consider the enormous and remarkable ramifications of this mathematical activity?Summing It Up uses addition as a springboard to present a fascinating and accessible look at numbers and number theory, and how we apply beautiful numerical properties to answer math problems. Mathematicians Avner Ash and Robert Gross explore addition's most basic characteristics as well as the addition of squares and other powers before moving onward to infinite series, modular forms, and issues at the forefront of current mathematical research.

Ash and Gross tailor their succinct and engaging investigations for math enthusiasts of all backgrounds. Employing college algebra, the first part of the book examines such questions as, can all positive numbers be written as a sum of four perfect squares? The second section of the book incorporates calculus and examines infinite series--long sums that can only be defined by the concept of limit, as in the example of 1+1/2+1/4+. . .=? With the help of some group theory and geometry, the third section ties together the first two parts of the book through a discussion of modular forms--the analytic functions on the upper half-plane of the complex numbers that have growth and transformation properties. Ash and Gross show how modular forms are indispensable in modern number theory, for example in the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem.

Appropriate for numbers novices as well as college math majors, Summing It Up delves into mathematics that will enlighten anyone fascinated by numbers.

For lovers of the 12 Bones restaurant as well as fans of progressive 'cue, 12 Bones Smokehouse includes signature recipes and techniques for ribs, pulled pork, and all the fixin's.

When 12 Bones Smokehouse opened in Asheville, North Carolina, many doubted that it would succeed. From a squat building in a flood plain, the owners were serving up creative barbecue that wasn't 100-percent true to any single region. Yet a decade later, 12 Bones is a local institution that rivals the Biltmore Estate in popularity. (In fact, it's 12 Bones alone that has been on President Obama's itinerary all three times he's passed through Asheville.)

The 12 Bones Smokehouse book is true to the spirit of the place. Everything is made from scratch--and cornbread is not optional. Inside you'll find all the classics: from the famous ribs to smoky pork, turkey, and chicken. And just like the restaurant, the bookis uniquely vegetarian-friendly by barbecue standards. From tangy Pickled Okra Salad to savory Jalapeno Cheese Grits, everyone will find something to love. Addictive desserts and flavor-packed rubs and sauces--including the famous Blueberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce--are all here, too. So if you can't make it to 12 Bones this week, now you have the next best thing.