Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers [Hardcover]

Jan Gullberg (Author), Peter Hilton (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997

A gently guided, profusely illustrated Grand Tour of the world of mathematics.

This extraordinary work takes the reader on a long and fascinating journey--from the dual invention of numbers and language, through the major realms of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, to the final destination of differential equations, with excursions into mathematical logic, set theory, topology, fractals, probability, and assorted other mathematical byways. The book is unique among popular books on mathematics in combining an engaging, easy-to-read history of the subject with a comprehensive mathematical survey text. Intended, in the author's words, "for the benefit of those who never studied the subject, those who think they have forgotten what they once learned, or those with a sincere desire for more knowledge," it links mathematics to the humanities, linguistics, the natural sciences, and technology.

Contains more than 1000 original technical illustrations, a multitude of reproductions from mathematical classics and other relevant works, and a generous sprinkling of humorous asides, ranging from limericks and tall stories to cartoons and decorative drawings. Over 1000 technical illustrations and cartoons and drawings

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

What does mathematics mean? Is it numbers or arithmetic, proofs or equations? Jan Gullberg starts his massive historical overview with some insight into why human beings find it necessary to "reckon," or count, and what math means to us. From there to the last chapter, on differential equations, is a very long, but surprisingly engrossing journey. Mathematics covers how symbolic logic fits into cultures around the world, and gives fascinating biographical tidbits on mathematicians from Archimedes to Wiles. It's a big book, copiously illustrated with goofy little line drawings and cartoon reprints. But the real appeal (at least for math buffs) lies in the scads of problems--with solutions--illustrating the concepts. It really invites readers to sit down with a cup of tea, pencil and paper, and (ahem) a calculator and start solving. Remember the first time you "got it" in math class? With Mathematics you can recapture that bliss, and maybe learn something new, too. Everyone from schoolkids to professors (and maybe even die-hard mathphobes) can find something useful, informative, or entertaining here. --Therese Littleton

From Scientific American

The book is an enthusiastic and utterly amazing popularization that promises to be in print for decades.... It is an important reference and a book that is plain fun to dip into. If a family is to have only one mathematics book on the reference shelf, then this is the one.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1128 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; First Edition edition (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039304002X
• ISBN-13: 978-0393040029
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.4 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

91 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply a beautiful book, December 23, 1999

By 

Hans U. Widmaier "Uli" (Elmhurst, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers (Hardcover)

The author of this book is not a professional mathematician, but rather someone who has deeply fallen in love with math and wants to share his passion. His enthusiasm is infectuous. I came away from this book thinking that perhaps math really is the purest, most profound, most beautiful of all human endeavors. I know that many mathematicians feel that way, but I had never before experienced it myself. Immersion in this book produces a state of total mental engagement that I normally reach only when reading Shakespeare or playing Bach. Be aware, however, that a fairly high level of mathematical competency is required for full comprehension, and that for non-mathematicians like myself the book is only partially accessible. But I don't view that as a drawback: the book makes you want to study and develop your technical understanding sufficiently to truly enjoy the more esoteric topics the book discusses. That's what happened to me. I find myself reading up on calculus and going through old college textbooks of mine. It must be a pretty good book that can accomplish that!

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Desert Island book for math lovers, December 10, 2005

By 

Stan Vernooy (Henderson, NV) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers (Hardcover)

How did this guy do it? He wasn't even a mathematician - he was a doctor. And he wrote a book that's fascinating for both mathematicians and non-mathematicians. The book goes all the way from the incention of numbers and the most elementary arithmetic, all the way through elemetary calculus. Along the way he manages to give at least an introduction to fractals, combinatorics, non-Euclidean geometry, harmonic analysis, and probability - all topics which the typical American student would probably miss on her or his way through the standard sequence of material leading up through calculus.

But Gullberg does much more than just present the material. He includes the history of how - and WHY - each major mathematical innovation was developed, placing the entire subject in a human and historical context that is missing from almost any other book on any of these many topics.

I don't care how much math you know - there are almost certainly historical facts in here that you haven't encountered before. And I don't care how LITTLE math you know - you'll find this book accessible and fascinating.

The only thing I didn't care for was the silly little limericks and cartoons scattered throughout the book. Most of them weren't funny, and served only to distract the reader from the fascinating material.

This book should be read thoroughly from page 1 through page 1039, and then read over and over again, as you dip randomly into whatever chapters happen to strike your fancy at any particular time, for the rest of your life. I originally bought a paperback copy, but I soon realized that I had to have a hardcover version that will stay on my shelf until the day I die - except when it's in my lap or on my desk.

Unparalleled and irreplaceable.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise from a Mathphobe, November 13, 2000

By 

Joel M Sax - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers (Hardcover)

I hate mathematics. My wife, a former National Merit scholar and professional cryptographer, enjoys working out advanced equations of all varieties. Both of us appreciate this book. Gullberg combines historical overview and practicality as he advances through the universe of numbers and equations. I have enjoyed reading his commentaries and anecdotes which appear throughout the text. My wife has turned to it for understanding problems related to her work. This is a book for school or home library, that belongs on any shelf where there are people eager to learn or in need of an in-depth understanding of algebra, calculus, trigonometry, topology, or more advanced studies. It is worth the price and will not quickly become obsolete like so many other scientific texts.