For many of us, math is a series of courses we took in school. Some of us use it more extensively than others on a day-to-day basis. But mathematics is far more important than a word problem in a textbook. Math equations have shaped our understanding of reality and changed the course of human history. In an excerpt from his 2013 book, "In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World," Ian Stewart writes: "Equations are the lifeblood of mathematics, science, and technology. Without them, our world would not exist in its present form."
Listen to an interview with Ian Stewart.
In a recent article, Andy Kiersz lists the 17 equations and explores how each has shaped our understanding of the world.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
