Love Triangle (book)

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Love Triangle: The Life-Changing Magic of Trigonometry is a 2024 non-fiction book by Matt Parker. It shows how trigonometry has shaped history and today’s world, with practical uses told in a humorous way. The book was published by Riverhead Books in the United States on August 20, 2024. It has 352 pages and the ISBN is 978-0593418109.

The book aims to help readers appreciate triangles and their geometry as the foundation of modern life. It is organized into ten chapters and features a playful page numbering system that uses sine values, starting at 0.0000000, rising to 1.0000000, dropping to -1.0000000, and returning to 0.0000000.

Parker’s idea for a general-audience book about trigonometry began about ten years earlier. He initially struggled to find a publisher. When he finally began writing, he had a rough outline but worried there wouldn’t be enough material. In the end, he found more fascinating stories than he expected and even had to cut some sections.

Love Triangle appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers list for Hardcover Nonfiction at #14 on September 8, 2024. Critics note the humor throughout the book. Kirkus Reviews praises Parker’s ability to make math engaging and enjoyable. Terry Freedman calls it full of upbeat jokes. The Times (UK) says it isn’t for everyone, but those who stick with it will come away smarter. The Wall Street Journal’s Siobhan Roberts suggests it could inspire many lesson ideas for teachers.

Matt Parker describes himself as a “stand-up mathematician.” He is Australian by birth and now lives in the United Kingdom. He writes for The Guardian, hosted Outrageous Acts of Science on the Science Channel, and has appeared on BBC programs. His YouTube channel, Stand-Up Maths, has more than a million views. He has also written Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension (2014) and Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World (2019).