The 17 equations that changed the world

In 2012, Mathematician Ian Stewart came out with an excellent and deeply researched book titled "In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World.

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His book takes a look at the most pivotal equations of all time, and puts them in a human, rather than technical context.

"Equations definitely can be dull, and they can seem complicated, but that's because they are often presented in a dull and complicated way," Stewart told Business Insider. "I have an advantage over school math teachers: I'm not trying to show you how to do the sums yourself."

He explained that anyone can "appreciate the beauty and importance of equations without knowing how to solve them ... The intention is to locate them in their cultural and human context, and pull back the veil on their hidden effects on history."

Stewart continued that "equations are a vital part of our culture. The stories behind them - the people who discovered or invented them and the periods in which they lived - are fascinating."

Here are 17 equations that have changed the world:

Max Nisen contributed to an earlier version of this post.