Math through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others Expanded Second EditionAmerican Mathematical Soc., 5. maj 2020 - 331 strani `Math through the Ages' is a treasure, one of the best history of math books at its level ever written. Somehow, it manages to stay true to a surprisingly sophisticated story, while respecting the needs of its audience. Its overview of the subject captures most of what one needs to know, and the 30 sketches are small gems of exposition that stimulate further exploration. --Glen van Brummelen, Quest University, President (2012-14) of the Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Mathematics Where did math come from? Who thought up all those algebra symbols, and why? What is the story behind $pi$? ... negative numbers? ... the metric system? ... quadratic equations? ... sine and cosine? ... logs? The 30 independent historical sketches in Math through the Ages answer these questions and many others in an informal, easygoing style that is accessible to teachers, students, and anyone who is curious about the history of mathematical ideas. Each sketch includes Questions and Projects to help you learn more about its topic and to see how the main ideas fit into the bigger picture of history. The 30 short stories are preceded by a 58-page bird's-eye overview of the entire panorama of mathematical history, a whirlwind tour of the most important people, events, and trends that shaped the mathematics we know today. ``What to Read Next'' and reading suggestions after each sketch provide starting points for readers who want to learn more. This book is ideal for a broad spectrum of audiences, including students in history of mathematics courses at the late high school or early college level, pre-service and in-service teachers, and anyone who just wants to know a little more about the origins of mathematics. |
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Zadetki 1–5 od 32
Stran xiii
... Fractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 5. Less Than Nothing?: Negative Numbers.................... 95 6. By Tens and Tenths: Metric Measurement................. 103 7. Measuring the Circle: The Story of T. .......
... Fractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 5. Less Than Nothing?: Negative Numbers.................... 95 6. By Tens and Tenths: Metric Measurement................. 103 7. Measuring the Circle: The Story of T. .......
Stran 9
... fractions, they worked only with the idea of “an nth part.” They would speak of “the third” (meaning 1/3) and “the fourth” (meaning 1/4). What we would describe as “other fractions” they would express as sums of such parts. For example ...
... fractions, they worked only with the idea of “an nth part.” They would speak of “the third” (meaning 1/3) and “the fourth” (meaning 1/4). What we would describe as “other fractions” they would express as sums of such parts. For example ...
Stran 11
... Fractions were often expressed in “sexagesimal” format. This is analogous to our way of writing fractions as decimals, but it used powers of 60 instead of powers of 10. (See Sketch 4.) • Like the Egyptians, the Babylonian scribes could ...
... Fractions were often expressed in “sexagesimal” format. This is analogous to our way of writing fractions as decimals, but it used powers of 60 instead of powers of 10. (See Sketch 4.) • Like the Egyptians, the Babylonian scribes could ...
Stran 12
... fractions. The fact that we still divide an hour into 60 minutes and a minute into 60 seconds goes back, via the Greek astronomers, to the Babylonian Sexagesimal fractions; almost 4000 years later, we are still influenced by the ...
... fractions. The fact that we still divide an hour into 60 minutes and a minute into 60 seconds goes back, via the Greek astronomers, to the Babylonian Sexagesimal fractions; almost 4000 years later, we are still influenced by the ...
Stran 22
... fractions of angles were written in sexagesimal fashion, as they still are today, in “minutes” and “seconds” of angle. Also in this context we see the beginnings of trigonometry. (See Sketches 18 and 26.) The most famous Greek ...
... fractions of angles were written in sexagesimal fashion, as they still are today, in “minutes” and “seconds” of angle. Also in this context we see the beginnings of trigonometry. (See Sketches 18 and 26.) The most famous Greek ...
Vsebina
1 | |
5 | |
Sketches | 67 |
What to Read Next | 287 |
When They Lived | 295 |
Bibliography | 301 |
Index | 319 |
About the Authors | 333 |
Back cover | 334 |
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