Learn from the Masters (Classroom Resource Materials) [Paperback]

Frank Swetz (Editor), John Fauvel (Editor), Bengt Johansson (Editor), Victor Katz (Editor), Otto Bekken (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0883857030 | ISBN-13: 978-0883857038 | Publication Date: September 11, 1997

This book is for high school and college teachers who want to know how they can use the history of mathematics as a pedagogical tool to help their students construct their own knowledge of mathematics. Often, a historical development of a particular topic is the best way to present a mathematical topic, but teachers may not have the time to do the research needed to present the material. This book provides its readers with historical ideas and insights which can be immediately applied in the classroom. The book is divided into two sections: the first on the use of history in high school mathematics, and the second on its use in university mathematics. The articles are diverse, covering fields such as trigonometry, mathematical modeling, calculus, linear algebra, vector analysis, and celestial mechanics. Also included are articles of a somewhat philosophical nature, which give general ideas on why history should be used in teaching and how it can be used in various special kinds of courses. Each article contains a bibliography to guide the reader to further reading on the subject.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

This book is for teachers who want to know how they can use the history of mathematics as a pedagogical tool to help their students construct their own knowledge of mathematics. It provides readers with historical ideas and insights which can be immediately applied in the classroom. Each article contains a bibliography to guide the reader to further reading on the subject.

Product Details

• Paperback: 313 pages
• Publisher: The Mathematical Association of America (September 11, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883857030
• ISBN-13: 978-0883857038
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Much of my research and writing focuses on clarifyingg and answering the questions of'Why?' and 'How?' mathematics came into being and is used by society. This quest of attempting to understand societal impact on mathematics has led me to explore the history of mathematics, ethnomathematics and the subject of problem solving. My books are journals of my findings and conclusions.They are written to share my understandings with a wider audience.I am a firm believer that the teaching of mathematics, at all levels, should reflect the human involvement with the subject.Hopefully,some of my reading audience will be convinced to continue and extend this quest of understanding the associations of mathematics with human society.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fitting tribute to Niels Henrik Abel, February 23, 2000

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Learn from the Masters (Classroom Resource Materials) (Paperback)

It is well-known that using clichés is considered poor form in writing. However, there is often a fine, essentially nonexistent line between a cliché and an old truism with a great deal of wisdom. The title of this book is one form of what is perhaps the best of all the words of wisdom, namely to be the best, you must learn from the best. No one knew this better than Niels Henrik Abel, Norway's greatest mathematician. He wrote the following in the margin of one of his notebooks,

"It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics one should study the masters."

This book is a publication of some of the papers presented at an international conference on the History of Mathematics held in Kristiansand, Norway in 1988. It is fitting that Abel lived in that area for some time.
Reading about the actions of the masters is always refreshing and helps to improve your self-esteem. To know that even the great ones struggled and made colossal errors reminds us that mathematical progress is not linear, but extremely chaotic. If a chart could be made of the development of mathematics, it would exhibit a gross upward movement. However, if one was to perform an expansion transformation, the local behavior would resemble Brownian motion. It is also sad to be informed about some of the spiteful actions that even geniuses are capable of.
The range of topics covered in this collection of papers is wide and includes some of the applied mathematical motivations in the development of new areas of mathematics. It is reasonable to argue that most of the development of mathematics throughout history originated in "simple" problems that had to be solved. Problems from the simplification of calculations to the trajectories of cannonballs to a set of bridges in the old city of Konigsberg all served as the impetus that led to the creation of new mathematics. Many of the papers also present problems that can be used in college classes. It is good for us all to occasionally revisit the historical origins of the topics that we present and re-present in class after class. Looking at it from the perspective of those who created it is sometimes the best way to get new insights into the material, and many such items are found in this book.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.