Where did maths come from? Who thought up all those algebra symbols, and why? What's the story behind ... negative numbers? ... the metric system? ... quadratic equations? ... sine and cosine? The 25 independent sketches in Math through the Ages answer these questions and many others in an informal, easygoing style that's accessible to teachers, students, and anyone who is curious about the history of mathematical ideas. Each sketch contains Questions and Projects to help you learn more about its topic and to see how its main ideas fit into the bigger picture of history. The 25 short stories are preceded by a 56-page bird's-eye overview of the entire panorama of mathematical history, a whirlwind tour of the most important people, events, and trends that shaped the mathematics we know today. Reading suggestions after each sketch provide starting points for readers who want to pursue a topic further.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Editorial Reviews
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'This is a beautiful and important book, a pleasure to read, in which the history recounted fully illuminates the mathematical ideas, and the ideas themselves are superbly explained: a wonderful accomplishment.' Barry Mazur, Harvard University
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
Where did maths come from? Who thought up all those symbols, and why? What's the story behind negative numbers? The sketches here answer these questions and many others in an informal, easygoing style that's accessible to teachers, students, and anyone who is curious about the history of mathematical ideas.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best book I have seen for teaching math history,
By Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)
This review is from: Math Through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others, Expanded Edition (Mathematical Association of America Textbooks) (Hardcover)
As students struggle through their mathematics lessons, it is sometimes helpful for them to understand that the creators of their torment often struggled as well. Furthermore, when we present the polished mathematics of calculus, linear algebra and so forth, educators often forget the long historical road that led to the material that we handle so well. In this excellent book covering the history of mathematics, the authors demonstrate a competency of exposition and a focus on the key points that students and teachers can both appreciate.It begins with a short and rapid recapitulation of mathematics from the first primitive scratches in the dust to the role of computers in solving problems. After this whirlwind beginning, you are subjected to twenty-five short essays, each about a specific point in mathematical history. By point, I don't mean in time, rather a point as in a position in a discussion. These essays are very well written and each would be excellent fodder for a one-hour class lecture or presentation. Questions for discussion and material for projects are included with each of the short essays. Topics covered in the essays include: the development of the zero, the story of pi, writing fractions, negative numbers, the development of coordinate geometry, complex numbers, Non-Euclidean geometry, probability theory and Boolean algebra. This is by far the best book I have seen for courses in the history of mathematics. With the essays, problems and ideas for projects, all an instructor needs to do is read, discuss and enjoy. If your interest is in learning a bit more about the history of mathematics, it will also serve you well in that capacity. Published in the recreational mathematics e-mail newsletter, reprinted with permission.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Math history for everyone other than teachers,
By Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)
This review is from: Math Through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others (Paperback)
In my opinion, it is impossible to understand a subject without knowing something about the people who developed it. Like other subjects, a mathematical result rarely springs into existence in a complete form, but is developed in increments, with several people involved in the construction. I am also a firm believer that all undergraduate math majors should be required to take a course in the history of mathematics. With the proper resources, it can be the most enjoyable course in the curriculum, and given the quality of this book, if it is the textbook, then any problems you have in the course are due to other factors.Starting at the point where humans began to count their fingers and toes and ending with the initial development of the digital computer, the authors manage an impressive amount of depth in so few pages. It is a rare occasion when a book can be recommended reading for teachers from the middle school level up through the undergraduate, but this is such a case. The authors were justified in using the word gentle in the title, and it can be read by anyone with a high school mathematics education and beyond. The writing is clear, succinct, and yet complete. For those interested in greater detail, there is a section devoted to what to read next, a list of online resources and an extensive bibliography. If you can't find what you are looking for by consulting these references, then it probably does not exist. If you have an interest in the history of mathematics, there is no better place to start than this book. Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great choice as a text for a history of mathematics course,
By Glen Van Brummelen (Bennington, VT USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Math Through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others (Paperback)
Most of the texts available for history of mathematics courses are aimed at upper-level undergraduate students and try to be encyclopedic. This book fills a needed hole in the offerings through its accessibility to freshmen, and its explicit aim not to cover everything. It contains a 56-page snapshot overview followed by 25 articles on particular topics, ideal jumping-off points for student presentations and/or research projects. The articles are clearly written, not intimidating yet accurate and sensitive to the current state of the art in the field. The references to further reading are useful and reliable sources.After 13 years of frustration, I may finally have found a book that works with my course. Highly recommended!
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