Dancing with Qubits: From qubits to algorithms, embark on the quantum computing journey shaping our future

Robert Sutor’s book “Dancing with Qubits” is critical for anyone wanting to learn about quantum computing with a solid mathematical understanding. Therefore, whether you are in high school, in a non-STEM field, or like me, who had not dealt with any complex math for 20 years, this book was critical to familiarizing myself on the key mathematical concepts and which I later also used when I wrote my own book on quantum computing.“Dancing with Qubits” Second Edition is divided into three sections.Section IThis section covers the basic math that someone should have gone through in college (even high school) that supports the key concepts needed for quantum computing. This includes numbers, circles, dimensions, and probability. Probably a good refresher for many of us in business and jumping into quantum computing for different reasons.Section IIThis section starts with qubits and digs deeper into Dirac notation, the Bloch sphere, matrices, tensor products, quantum gates and then into algorithms. The chapters include detailed explanations, visualizations, and mathematical representation of the frequently used quantum gates. It includes step by step derivation of the math for various popular quantum algorithms. By the time you reach Shor's algorithm and modular exponentiation you would have fully explored qubit states through Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT), phase estimation and order finding.One chapter that I did not fully get into during my first reading of the book is Chapter 11. Getting Physical. It includes some important concepts for error correction, Shor code, benchmarking, and simulations. It also gets into some physical implementation of qubits such as photonics.Section IIIThe last section, which is new to this second edition, covers variational algorithms that make up the foundation for solving optimization and machine learning problems on quantum computers. For those who already have the first edition, this would be the motivation for ordering an additional copy, apart from other minor edits throughout the previous sections.Bob starts the discussion by reminding the user of single and multiple variable functions along with classical method for optimization to find their minimum and maximum. The book goes over Max-Cut which is frequently used in quantum computing as a baseline problem, and discusses Hermitian matrices, the variational principle, parameterized circuits, time evolution and the Hamiltonian. This then leads to an explanation of the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) and the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE). As I have tried to teach my students, understanding QAOA is a great place to start before getting into Quantum Machine Learning (QML). Bob does the same.The book then proceeds to the topic of QML. Bob spends some time explaining how to encode real world data into amplitudes or angles, before touching upon quantum neural network circuits and how their parameters might be optimized. Bob discusses support vector machines and quantum kernels as a use case for this area which is being heavily researched. Keep in mind that section III is more of an introduction to this vast topic of QML rather than a full treatment.SummaryOverall, the book does a superb job of simplifying complex topics by taking the reader through bite sized steps to allow understanding and familiarity with how quantum computing and algorithms really work. The strength of the book is to ensure you have the best mathematical foundation as you progress on your quantum journey. There are some connections to material covered in Bob's other book "Dancing with Python". I would highly recommend the book to anyone getting into quantum computing with the desire to understand how it works mathematically. The cover is in color, but the inside the figures are all b/w.

The book starts with the basics and builds up to the state of the art. It’s a great overview of the subject. By necessity it is mathematical but it tries to lay out the mathematics needed and contains detailed derivations of the important results.If you are interested in learning about quantum computing, it is an excellent place to start. Coupled with some supplementary material, it is an excellent textbook as well.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in quantum computing. It provides a good balance of mathematical rigor and clear explanations, making it suitable for beginners and experienced learners.The in-depth coverage of the essential mathematical concepts of quantum computing sets this book apart. The author breaks down complex concepts in an accessible way without sacrificing depth, and each chapter builds on the previous one for a thorough understanding. The book does an amazing work at explaining the basics of quantum computing from a mathematical perspective, offering detailed explanations that make even the most challenging concepts easier to understand.One of the book's highlights is its focus on essential quantum algorithms. The comprehensive and insightful coverage of basic quantum algorithms provides readers with practical knowledge crucial for progressing in the field. The step-by-step approach enhances understanding and equips readers with the skills needed to implement these algorithms.In summary, this book is an essential resource for anyone looking to invest in their educational journey in the quantum domain!

Reading is a gateway to understanding, but it's the application that truly solidifies knowledge. This book perfectly encapsulates this philosophy.Quantum computing is both fascinating and complex, and Sutor’s updated edition handles both beautifully. He breaks down intricate concepts into digestible pieces without sacrificing depth or rigor, making learning both comprehensive and approachable.A standout aspect of this book is how it seamlessly blends theory with practical application. Sutor not only explains the 'what' and 'why' of quantum computing but also delves into the 'how' with hands-on exercises that reinforce the material.This is a must-read for anyone interested in quantum computing, whether you're a novice or looking to deepen your understanding. You don't need extensive prior knowledge in mathematics or physics; Sutor covers the most applicable pieces you need. Highly recommended!

If you like formulas and matrices you will love this book! If you want to find out about quantum computing, go elsewhere. The title is misleading, the first sample chapter, which I read for free, looked promising, but the book went downhill. There's never any conclusion to sections or chapters.

This book is over 600 pages in length. It doesn't even start talking about quantum computing until about 250 pages into it. The beginning of the book is filled with unnecessary content such as whole numbers, fractions, etc.The problem I have with this approach is that if you know this stuff, then the content is unnecessary, and if you don't know it, it is unlikely that you will grok it by reading this book.

I always hear about quantum computing, but I was never sure what it was. This book provided a great introduction to what it is, how it works, and what I can use it for. What I also liked was it talked about the possible future of quantum computing so I can have an idea of why people are talking about quantum computing.

Really enjoyed reading this book. Does an excellent job of explaining the hard to understand topics in digestible terms but also gets deep into the math and technical information too.