In this fascinating discussion of ancient mathematics, author Peter Rudman does not just chronicle the archeological record of what mathematics was done; he digs deeper into the more important question of why it was done in a particular way. Why did the Egyptians use a bizarre method of expressing fractions? Why did the Babylonians use an awkward number system based on multiples of 60? Rudman answers such intriguing questions, arguing that some mathematical thinking is universal and timeless. The similarity of the ...
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In this fascinating discussion of ancient mathematics, author Peter Rudman does not just chronicle the archeological record of what mathematics was done; he digs deeper into the more important question of why it was done in a particular way. Why did the Egyptians use a bizarre method of expressing fractions? Why did the Babylonians use an awkward number system based on multiples of 60? Rudman answers such intriguing questions, arguing that some mathematical thinking is universal and timeless. The similarity of the Babylonian and Mayan number systems, two cultures widely separated in time and space, illustrates the argument. He then traces the evolution of number systems from finger counting in hunter-gatherer cultures to pebble counting in herder-farmer cultures of the Nile and Tigris-Euphrates valleys, which defined the number systems that continued to be used even after the invention of writing. With separate chapters devoted to the remarkable Egyptian and Babylonian mathematics of the era from about 3500 to 2000 BCE, when all of the basic arithmetic operations and even quadratic algebra became doable, Rudman concludes his interpretation of the archeological record. Since some of the mathematics formerly credited to the Greeks is now known to be a prior Babylonian invention, Rudman adds a chapter that discusses the math used by Pythagoras, Eratosthenes, and Hippasus, which has Babylonian roots, illustrating the watershed difference in abstraction and rigor that the Greeks introduced. He also suggests that we might improve present-day teaching by taking note of how the Greeks taught math. Complete with sidebars offering recreational math brainteasers, this engrossing discussion of the evolution of mathematics will appeal to both scholars and lay readers with an interest in mathematics and its history.
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Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: the First 50, 000 Years to cart. $12.10, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus Books.
Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: the First 50, 000 Years to cart. $12.10, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus Books.
Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: the First 50, 000 Years to cart. $13.39, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: The First 50, 000 Years to cart. $15.99, very good condition, Sold by Retired Teachers rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Livonia, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus Books.
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Near Fine. Near Fine Dust Jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. pp. 314. 314 pp. Tightly bound. Corners not bumped. Text is free of markings. No ownership markings. Very good dust jacket.
Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: the First 50, 000 Years to cart. $17.79, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of How Mathematics Happened: the First 50, 000 Years to cart. $18.00, like new condition, Sold by Calliopebooks rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Rockville, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Prometheus.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Fine in Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. 314 pages. "The author takes the reader on a mathematical tour of the ancient world. He references some of the most prized mathematical artifacts in history, showing how their discovery, deciphering, and interpretation has expanded our understanding of the history of math so that some results previously attributed to the Greeks can now be seen to have Babylonian origins." FINE HARDCOVER, FINE DUST JACKET.
