By taking an approach that examines mathematics from the perspective of the subject’s history, Mathematics and Its History offers a comprehensive and condensed examination of undergraduate mathematics. Among others, calculus, algebra, topology, and other concepts commonplace in college curricula will be revealed to the readers with the intricate web of ideas that underlie them. This volume provides a view into the broader environment in which these concepts arose, exposing surprising linkages that make it perfect for a senior capstone course. The historical incidents covered in this volume range from the Ancient Greeks to Fermat and Descartes.
The presentation of earlier editions has been improved by removing the less mainstream themes and integrating new connecting information. This has enabled teachers to cover the book in a single semester’s worth of class time. This abridged version emphasizes visual clarity, with pictures in full color and 3D models of the highest possible quality. It also emphasizes being brief and cohesive. In this version, like in previous ones, a wide variety of mathematical subjects, ranging from geometry to computation, are discussed; however, biographical descriptions of the contributors have been left out.
It is necessary to have Mathematics and Its History: A Concise Edition on hand for any classes or reading programs dealing with the history of mathematics. It is assumed that you fundamentally understand calculus, algebra, geometry, topology, and set theory.
