Mathematics And Its History

From a review of the second edition: "This book covers many interesting topics not usually covered in a present day undergraduate course, as well as certain basic topics such as the development of the calculus and the solution of polynomial equations. The fact that the topics are introduced in their historical contexts will enable students to better appreciate and understand the mathematical ideas involved...If one constructs a list of topics central to a history course, then they would closely resemble those chosen here." (David Parrott, Australian Mathematical Society) This book offers a collection of historical essays detailing a large variety of mathematical disciplines and issues; it’s accessible to a broad audience. This third edition includes new chapters on simple groups and new sections on alternating groups and the Poincare conjecture. Many more exercises have been added as well as commentary that helps place the exercises in context.

This textbook provides a unified and concise exploration of undergraduate mathematics by approaching the subject through its history. Readers will discover the rich tapestry of ideas behind familiar topics from the undergraduate curriculum, such as calculus, algebra, topology, and more. Featuring historical episodes ranging from the Ancient Greeks to Fermat and Descartes, this volume offers a glimpse into the broader context in which these ideas developed, revealing unexpected connections that make this ideal for a senior capstone course. The presentation of previous versions has been refined by omitting the less mainstream topics and inserting new connecting material, allowing instructors to cover the book in a one-semester course. This condensed edition prioritizes succinctness and cohesiveness, and there is a greater emphasis on visual clarity, featuring full color images and high quality 3D models. As in previous editions, a wide array of mathematical topics are covered, from geometry to computation; however, biographical sketches have been omitted. Mathematics and Its History: A Concise Edition is an essential resource for courses or reading programs on the history of mathematics. Knowledge of basic calculus, algebra, geometry, topology, and set theory is assumed. From reviews of previous editions: “Mathematics and Its History is a joy to read. The writing is clear, concise and inviting. The style is very different from a traditional text. I found myself picking it up to read at the expense of my usual late evening thriller or detective novel.... The author has done a wonderful job of tying together the dominant themes of undergraduate mathematics.” Richard J. Wilders, MAA, on the Third Edition "The book...is presented in a lively style without unnecessary detail. It is very stimulating and will be appreciated not only by students. Much attention is paid to problems and to the development of mathematics before the end of the nineteenth century.... This book brings to the non-specialist interested in mathematics many interesting results. It can be recommended for seminars and will be enjoyed by the broad mathematical community." European Mathematical Society, on the Second Edition

This book is unique in that it looks at geometry from 4 different viewpoints - Euclid-style axioms, linear algebra, projective geometry, and groups and their invariants Approach makes the subject accessible to readers of all mathematical tastes, from the visual to the algebraic Abundantly supplemented with figures and exercises

The updated new edition of the classic and comprehensive guide to the history of mathematics For more than forty years, A History of Mathematics has been the reference of choice for those looking to learn about the fascinating history of humankind’s relationship with numbers, shapes, and patterns. This revised edition features up-to-date coverage of topics such as Fermat’s Last Theorem and the Poincaré Conjecture, in addition to recent advances in areas such as finite group theory and computer-aided proofs. Distills thousands of years of mathematics into a single, approachable volume Covers mathematical discoveries, concepts, and thinkers, from Ancient Egypt to the present Includes up-to-date references and an extensive chronological table of mathematical and general historical developments. Whether you're interested in the age of Plato and Aristotle or Poincaré and Hilbert, whether you want to know more about the Pythagorean theorem or the golden mean, A History of Mathematics is an essential reference that will help you explore the incredible history of mathematics and the men and women who created it.

This book offers a collection of historical essays detailing a large variety of mathematical disciplines and issues; it’s accessible to a broad audience. This second edition includes new chapters on Chinese and Indian number theory, on hypercomplex numbers, and on algebraic number theory. Many more exercises have been added as well as commentary that helps place the exercises in context.

This new edition brings the fascinating and intriguing historyof mathematics to life The Second Edition of this internationally acclaimed text hasbeen thoroughly revised, updated, and reorganized to give readers afresh perspective on the evolution of mathematics. Written by oneof the world's leading experts on the history of mathematics, thebook details the key historical developments in the field,providing an understanding and appreciation of how mathematicsinfluences today's science, art, music, literature, andsociety. In the first edition, each chapter was devoted to a singleculture. This Second Edition is organized by subject matter: ageneral survey of mathematics in many cultures, arithmetic,geometry, algebra, analysis, and mathematical inference. This neworganization enables students to focus on one complete topic and,at the same time, compare how different cultures approached eachtopic. Many new photographs and diagrams have been added to thisedition to enhance the presentation. The text is divided into seven parts: The World of Mathematics and the Mathematics of the World,including the origin and prehistory of mathematics, culturalsurveys, and women mathematicians Numbers, including counting, calculation, ancient numbertheory, and numbers and number theory in modern mathematics Color Plates, illustrating the impact of mathematics oncivilizations from Egypt to Japan to Mexico to modern Europe Space, including measurement, Euclidean geometry,post-Euclidean geometry, and modern geometrics Algebra, including problems leading to algebra, equations andmethods, and modern algebra Analysis, including the calculus, real, and complexanalysis Mathematical Inference, including probability and statistics,and logic and set theory As readers progress through the text, they learn about theevolution of each topic, how different cultures devised their ownsolutions, and how these solutions enabled the cultures to developand progress. In addition, readers will meet some of the greatestmathematicians of the ages, who helped lay the groundwork fortoday's science and technology. The book's lively approach makes it appropriate for anyoneinterested in learning how the field of mathematics came to be whatit is today. It can also serve as a textbook for undergraduate orgraduate-level courses. An Instructor's Manual presenting detailedsolutions to all the problems in the book is available upon requestfrom the Wiley editorial department.

An exploration of the interaction between mathematics, mathematicians and society. What would Newton see if he looked out his window?

Unusually clear, accessible introduction covers counting, properties of numbers, prime numbers, Aliquot parts, Diophantine problems, congruences, much more. Bibliography.