Mathematics: History of Mathematics

A Little History of Mathematics by Snezana Lawrence A lively, accessible history of mathematics throughout the ages and across the globe Mathematics is fundamental to our daily lives. Science, computing, economics--all aspects of modern life rely on some kind of maths. But how did our ancestors think about numbers? How did they use mathematics to explain and understand the world around them? Where do numbers even come from? In this Little History, Snezana Lawrence traces the fascinating history of mathematics, from the Egyptians and Babylonians to Renaissance masters and enigma codebreakers. Like literature, music, or philosophy, mathematics has a rich history of breakthroughs, creativity and experimentation. And its story is a global one. We see Chinese Mathematical Art from 200 BCE, the invention of algebra in Baghdad's House of Wisdom, and sangaku geometrical theorems at Japanese shrines. Lawrence goes beyond the familiar names of Newton and Pascal, exploring the prominent role women have played in the history of maths, including Emmy Noether and Maryam Mirzakhani.

The Secret Lives of Numbers by Kate Kitagawa; Timothy Revell Shortlisted for the 2024 British Academy Book Prize A new history of mathematics focusing on the marginalized voices who propelled the discipline, spanning six continents and thousands of years of untold stories. "A book to make you love math." --Financial Times Mathematics shapes almost everything we do. But despite its reputation as the study of fundamental truths, the stories we have been told about it are wrong--warped like the sixteenth-century map that enlarged Europe at the expense of Africa, Asia and the Americas. In The Secret Lives of Numbers, renowned math historian Kate Kitagawa and journalist Timothy Revell make the case that the history of math is infinitely deeper, broader, and richer than the narrative we think we know. Our story takes us from Hypatia, the first great female mathematician, whose ideas revolutionized geometry and who was killed for them--to Karen Uhlenbeck, the first woman to win the Abel Prize, "math's Nobel." Along the way we travel the globe to meet the brilliant Arabic scholars of the "House of Wisdom," a math temple whose destruction in the Siege of Baghdad in the thirteenth century was a loss arguably on par with that of the Library of Alexandria; Madhava of Sangamagrama, the fourteenth-century Indian genius who uncovered the central tenets of calculus 300 years before Isaac Newton was born; and the Black mathematicians of the Civil Rights era, who played a significant role in dismantling early data-based methods of racial discrimination. Covering thousands of years, six continents, and just about every mathematical discipline, The Secret Lives of Numbers is an immensely compelling narrative history.

Pythagoras' Legacy by Marcel Danesi As the famous Pythagorean statement reads, "Number rules the universe", and its veracity is proven in the many mathematical discoveries that have accelerated the development of science, engineering, and even philosophy. A so called "art of the mind", mathematics has guided and stimulated manyaspects of human innovation down through the centuries.In this book, Marcel Danesi presents a historical overview of the ten greatest achievements in mathematics, and dynamically explores their importance and effects on our daily lives. Considered as a chain of events rather than isolated incidents, Danesi takes us from the beginnings of modern daymathematics with Pythagoras, through the concept of zero, right the way up to modern computational algorithms.Loaded with thought-provoking practical exercises and puzzles, Pythagoras' Legacy allows the reader to apply their knowledge and discover the significance of mathematics in their everyday lives.

Math Makers by Alfred S. Posamentier; Christian Spreitzer Mathematics today is the fruit of centuries of brilliant insights by men and women whose personalities and life experiences were often as extraordinary as their mathematical achievements. This entertaining history of mathematics chronicles those achievements through fifty short biographies that bring these great thinkers to life while making their contributions understandable to readers with little math background. Among the fascinating characters profiled are Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the founder of classical physics and infinitesimal calculus--he frequently quarreled with fellow scientists and was obsessed by alchemy and arcane Bible interpretation; Sophie Germain (1776 - 1831), who studied secretly at the cole Polytechnique in Paris, using the name of a previously enrolled male student--she is remembered for her work on Fermat's Last Theorem and on elasticity theory; Emmy Noether (1882 - 1935), whom Albert Einstein described as the most important woman in the history of mathematics--she made important contributions to abstract algebra and in physics she clarified the connection between conservation laws and symmetry; and Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920), who came from humble origins in India and had almost no formal training, yet made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. The unusual behavior and life circumstances of these and many other intriguing personalities make for fascinating reading and a highly enjoyable introduction to mathematics.

A Curious History of Mathematics by Joel Levy Because learning the language of mathematics can be daunting, many people abandon the attempt as soon as they leave school, missing out on the beauty and mystery of the Empress of the Sciences. Now, Joel Levy opens new doors into this amazing world. By taking a historical perspective, he explains how mathematical science advanced through the ages, introducing the most important concepts--from simple arithmetic, through algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and calculus, up to chaos and infinity theory--in understandable, nontechnical language.

The History of Mathematics by Nicholas Faulkner (Editor); Erik Gregersen (Editor) This intriguing volume introduces readers to the origins of the mathematical principles they study every day. It covers a wide range of disciplines outlined in curriculum standards and serves as an illuminating companion to their current studies. Readers will learn about the brilliant minds behind some of the breakthroughs in mathematics. They will also enjoy the origin stories of the different disciplines in the field we're so familiar with today. The study of math should go beyond numbers, and this book certainly accomplishes that by giving readers insight into how mathematics came to be.

An Episodic History of Mathematics by Steven G. Krantz An Episodic History of Mathematics delivers a series of snapshots of the history of mathematics from ancient times to the twentieth century. The intent is not to be an encyclopedic history of mathematics, but to give the reader a sense of mathematical culture and history. The book abounds with stories, and personalities play a strong role. The book will introduce readers to some of the genesis of mathematical ideas. Mathematical history is exciting and rewarding, and is a significant slice of the intellectual pie. A good education consists of learning different methods of discourse, and certainly mathematics is one of the most well-developed and important modes of discourse that we have. The focus in this text is on getting involved with mathematics and solving problems. Every chapter ends with a detailed problem set that will provide the student with many avenues for exploration and many new entrees into the subject.