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Tobias Dantzig

Joseph Mazur

Number: The Language of Science Paperback – January 30, 2007

by Tobias Dantzig (Author), Joseph Mazur (Author)

103 ratings

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"Beyond doubt the most interesting book on the evolution of mathematics which has ever fallen into my hands."—Albert Einstein

Number is an eloquent, accessible tour de force that reveals how the concept of number evolved from prehistoric times through the twentieth century. Renowned professor of mathematics Tobias Dantzig shows that the development of math—from the invention of counting to the discovery of infinity—is a profoundly human story that progressed by “trying and erring, by groping and stumbling.” He shows how commerce, war, and religion led to advances in math, and he recounts the stories of individuals whose breakthroughs expanded the concept of number and created the mathematics that we know today.

Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Plume
Publication date

January 30, 2007
Dimensions

5.36 x 0.88 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0452288118
ISBN-13

978-0452288119
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beyond doubt the most interesting book on the evolution of mathematics which has ever fallen into my hands."—Albert Einstein

"Anyone interested in the history of numbers and mathematics should read this book."—Mario Livio, author of The Golden Ratio

"A classic . . . it deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history of thought."—Charles Seife, author of Zero and Decoding the Universe

About the Author

Tobias Dantzig was born in Russia, and was taught by Henri Poincaré in France before moving the United States. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Indiana, and was a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland. He died in 1956.

Joseph Mazur is Professor of Mathematics at Marlboro College, where he has taught a wide range of classes in all areas of mathematics, its history, and philosophy.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Plume; New edition (January 30, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0452288118
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0452288119
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.36 x 0.88 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #136,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Number Systems (Books)
- #26 in Number Theory (Books)
- #131 in Mathematics History

Customer Reviews:
103 ratings

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Tobias Dantzig
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Joseph Mazur
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His full name is Joseph Conrad Mazur. His mother bought a used copy of Lord Jim in London on her way from Vienna to America, thinking that if she could read it with a dictionary it might improve her English. Like Mazur's mother, Conrad was Polish-born, so she felt that English written by a Pole must be easy to understand.
JOSEPH MAZUR is Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Marlboro College where he has taught a wide range of classes in all areas of mathematics, its history and philosophy. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from M.I.T., and is a Guggenheim Fellow. He is the author of Euclid in the Rainforest: Discovering Universal Truth in Mathematics (Finalist of the 2005 PEN/Martha Albrand Award and chosen as one of Choice's 2005 Outstanding Academic Titles of the Year) and the editor of the recently republished classic by Tobias Dantzig, Number: The Language of Science. He is the author of The Motion Paradox: The 2,500-Year Old Puzzle Behind All the Mysteries of Time and Space (Plume), What's Luck Got to do With it?, (Princeton), Enlightening Symbols: A Short History of Mathematical Notation and Its Hidden Powers (Princeton), Fluke: The Math and Myth of Coincidences (Basic), and The Clock Mirage: The Myth of Measured Time (Yale). His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
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Customer reviews

5 star		74%
4 star		14%
3 star		9%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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So Glad this Classic is Still Available!

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2019

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Great historical explanations of numbers, number theory, and the people who developed them to give us the mathematics we have today. Great for budding thinkers and inquisitive young minds (12+). This book serves as a great reference to how zero and irrational numbers solved problems and changed the way we see numerical information.

My father gave me this book when I was in the sixth grade, and it opened up a whole new world to me. The author's structure allows the reader to select areas of interest or to read from front to back.

I've bought copies for my children and now grandchildren, seeing their excitement as major concepts become clearer, making it easier to succeed and excel in school.

5 people found this helpful

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B.M

Simply Astounding

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2014

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I first read this book as a junior in high school and I'm not sure why I even picked it up. My sophomore year I barely squeaked by with a D in Algebra 2 my first semester and a C the next. But when I began this book, so many things started to click. This book, for me, started the process of unlearning. I took copious notes, I started asking questions in my Trig class-- this book was instrumental in my education.

Dantzig told me how I thought, and why math was special. Because of this book, I started reading other math books, and by the time I left my high school I had read every single math book in the library. Because of this book, I got a BS in mathematics-- a guy with a D in Algebra 2!

I reread this book just recently and heck, I'm learning all sorts of stuff from it again! Somehow, and I don't know how he does it, Dantzig eloquently explains the history, the culture, and the minds behind the most interesting concepts and the most pervasive subject in the world. And he does it in a way that taught me as a D high school math student, and has taught me again now-- things that my undergraduate degree in math never could.

Buy this book and fall in love with it.

37 people found this helpful

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C R Sant

It puts in historical perspective the development of mathematics.

Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2019

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Mathematics is a 'learned' process, part of man's upbringing. It is not provided by Nature at birth. Most of us in 'developed' societies have laboured in the task of learning Maths. The lucky gifted few enjoyed the learning process and delved further into it. The outcome has become an essential tool to all humanity. The book explains beautifully how this came about over the centuries.
The first chapters explain the remote historical part of the development of mathematics. Here is explained how the early development came about; how the various counting systems developed and how they were conditioned by the natural world. This was of special interest as the historical aspect in more remote and its history still need to be updated, in the light of new developments.

2 people found this helpful

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James Smith Abreu

This is an amazing study into the origins of Mathematics

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2017

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This is an amazing study into the origins of Mathematics. The boom was recommended yo be by a former professor believing because I was going for BS in mathematics I would enjoy it. He was not wrong. I have not been able to put it down. If you enjoy mathematics as a hobby or as professional, give the book a try.

6 people found this helpful

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Grace Galsworthy

very good susu

Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2020

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The baby received, the quality is very good, very practical, very convenient to use, it is wonderful to use, the conscience of the merchants cheap and fine, the husband likes it very much, will come again next time, the service attitude is very good, thank you.

One person found this helpful

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Gene Quickel

Learn the substance behind arithmetic!

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2020

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Great Book. Understanding numbers is very recent in the history of humans. Delivery was fine.

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Dongfeng Wu

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2017

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my boys love to read this

One person found this helpful

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Cody C.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2017

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Life-changing.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

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João Salvatti

Melhor Livro de História da Matemática

Reviewed in Brazil on April 26, 2017

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Simplesmente o melhor livro de História da Matemática. A leitura é fascinante, as ideias são apresentadas de maneira clara e objetiva. A maneira como a evolução do conceito de número evolui até nossos dias é extraordinária e muito bem contada pelo autor.

2 people found this helpful

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Harenduprakash Lohithakshan

Very good

Reviewed in India on October 2, 2019

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Very good

2 people found this helpful

Massimo Santini

Interessantissimo e ben scritto

Reviewed in Italy on November 14, 2016

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Un libro molto interessante, scritto con grande cultura. Piacevolissimo alla lettura, preciso e completo. Adatto ad un lettore con conoscenze pregresse, ma anche all'amatore.

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Michaël Piché

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on May 13, 2018

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Fantastic !

Kaye

Buy it

Reviewed in Canada on May 24, 2020

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As expected! Fast shipping.

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