Love Triangle: The Surprising Magic of Trigonometry in Everyday Life

Think trigonometry is just about solving for x? Think again. Matt Parker, stand-up comedian, ex-maths teacher, and bestselling author of Humble Pi, is here to change the way you see the world—one triangle at a time.

Why does a duck’s wake always form a 39-degree angle? Why can no two people ever see the same rainbow? And what does trigonometry have to do with a pig stampede in 2012? The answer to all these questions—and so much more—lies in the power of triangles.

In Love Triangle, Parker takes us on a wildly entertaining journey through the hidden geometry of modern life. He deciphers pop songs using pure sine waves, calculates tall buildings in ridiculous shoes, and even attempts to cut a sandwich into three equal parts—all in the name of proving that triangles shape the world around us. From GPS navigation to CGI, Spotify algorithms to the play button itself, triangles are everywhere—and once you see them, you’ll never unsee them.

Get ready to fall in love with the most important shape in the universe—because, as Parker proves, everything is triangles.