History of Mathematics: A Supplement / Edition 1

by Craig Smorynski

Overview

General textbooks, attempting to cover three thousand or so years of mathematical history, must necessarily oversimplify just about everything, the practice of which can scarcely promote a critical approach to the subject. To counter this, History of Mathematics offers deeper coverage of key select topics, providing students with material that could encourage more critical thinking. It also includes the proofs of important results which are typically neglected in the modern history of mathematics curriculum.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781441925930
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	10/29/2010
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of hardcover 1st ed. 2008
Pages:	274
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

Annotated Bibliography.- Foundations of Geometry.- The Construction Problems of Antiquity.- A Chinese Problem.- The Cubic Equation.- Horner's Method.- Some Lighter Material.

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

"This is very personal book, full of personal asides and footnotes that reveal the author’s thought process. It’s also an argumentative book … which made me want to argue back. I kept reading. … this is an interesting book. … I do think anyone who teaches history of mathematics can find useful things here." (Fernando Q. Gouvêa, MathDL, December, 2007)

"This volume … aims to discuss just a few topics from pre-20th-century mathematics, but to address them in some mathematical and historical detail. … The book includes an appendix offering a dozen historical/mathematical projects. Overall, an interesting volume. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty." (S. J. Colley, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (11), August, 2008)

From the Publisher