The Britannica Guide to The History of MathematicsErik Gregersen Associate Editor, Astronomy and Space Exploration The field of mathematics today represents an ongoing global effort, spanning both countries and centuries. While some developments emerged in multiple cultures, independent of each other, others involved an extensive exchange of ideas among individuals around the world. Through this in-depth narrative, students will learn how major mathematical concepts were first derived, as well as how they evolved with the advent of later thinkers shedding new light on various applications. Everything from Euclidean geometry to the philosophy of mathematics is illuminated as readers are transported to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and beyond to discover the history of mathematical thought. |
Contents
Ancient Western | 13 |
Mathematics in Ancient Egypt | 31 |
Apollonius | 49 |
Later Trends in Geometry | 66 |
European Mathematics | 84 |
Mathematics in the 17th | 91 |
Mathematics in the 19th | 125 |
South and East Asian | 182 |
Scholarly Revival 11th13th | 207 |
Mathematics in Japan | 213 |
The Axiomatic Method | 222 |
The Philosophy | 256 |
Logicism Intuitionism and Formalism | 270 |
Bibliography | 285 |
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The Britannica Guide to The History of Mathematics Britannica Educational Publishing Limited preview - 2010 |
Common terms and phrases
19th century 3rd century BCE 4th century BCE 5th century BCE abstract objects algebraic algebraic integers algorithms analysis analytic ancient angle Apollonius Archimedes argument arithmetic astronomy axioms Babylonian Book calculus called category theory Chinese circle classical coefficients concept conic construction cube curves decimal defined developed differential divisor Egyptian Elements ematics Encyclopædia Britannica equations Euclid Euclidean example exist fictionalists finite fractions Frege functions geometry German mathematician Gödel Greek Greek mathematics Hilbert ideas infinite integers intuitionistic intuitionistic type theory Islamic Islamic mathematics known Lagrange later linear logic math mathematical sentences mathematicians method motion natural numbers Nine Chapters notation numbers philosopher physical place-value plane Platonism Platonists polynomial postulate problems proof properties proved Pythagorean quadratic quantities ratio result Riemann roots scribes set theory sexagesimal solution solved space square surface tangent theorem tion topos treatise triangle true type theory unknown variables zero