Krzysztof R Apt 
BRIEF HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS FOR CURIOUS MINDS, A [EPUB ebook] 

This book offers a short and accessible account of the history of mathematics, written for the intelligent layman to gain a better appreciation of its beauty, relevance, and place in history. It traces the development of the subject throughout the centuries, starting with the so-called Lebombo bone, the oldest known mathematical object that was estimated to be at least 43, 000 years old, and ending with the 21st century.

The presentation is informal, and no prior knowledge of mathematics is needed to enjoy the systematic chronological insights. A collection of appendices is included for more technical material — though still at the level of secondary school mathematics — and is concerned with the historically important proofs and concepts that can be explained in a simple way.

Contents:

• Preface


• From the Beginnings to 6th Century BCE


• The Greeks (From 6th Century BCE to 5th Century CE)


• Ancient Chinese and Indian Mathematics (From 5th Century BCE to 5th Century CE)


• The Romans and the Middle Ages (From 1st Century BCE to the 15th Century)


• The Early Modern World (From the 15th to 17th Century)


• The 18th Century


• The 19th Century


• The 20th and 21st Centuries


• Final Remarks


• Further Reading


• Appendices


• Bibliography


• Name Index

Readership: Non-specialist readers interested in general literature about mathematics at an informal level. The book could also be used for an undergraduate course on history of mathematics at mathematics, computer science, physics and/or engineering studies. It should be also of interest to graduate students of engineering studies and first-year students of mathematics, as well as undergraduate or graduate students of technical studies.

‘I couldn’t put down this delightful book. It’s an absolutely marvelous tour of millennia of mathematics, full of tidbits that were new to me.’ – L N Trefethen FRS, University of Oxford and Harvard Universityauthor of An Applied Mathematician’s Apology(Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 2022)

‘This is an excellent book aimed at a general audience. Its goal is to introduce the layman to a history of mathematics in such a way that the reader will appreciate its importance for the understanding of our world, not only from a technical perspective — as the tool scientists use to get their results — but also — and perhaps most importantly — from the philosophical point of view. It is a book every person interested in Science, Philosophy, and History will want to read.’ – J M Almira Universidad de Murcia, Spainauthor of Norbert Wiener: A Mathematician Among Engineers (World Scientific, 2022)

‘Mathematics is as old as the hills; it is useful, necessary, and beautiful. It is also an invisible part of the culture of our civilization. It was a great pleasure to read this account of its entire history, from prehistoric and ancient times, to the most recent developments in the field. It is presented in an interesting, concise, very readable, and caring manner, with the broad perspective of an experienced scholar who has worked in mathematics, theoretical computer science, and game theory. Read it! (And do not complain that you’d prefer a different book, unless you do intend to write it.)’ – P Strzelecki University of Warsaw, Polandauthor of Matematyka Współczesna dla Myślących Laików(Contemporary Mathematics for Thinking Laymen, Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2011)

Key Features:

• An easy-to-read, systematic and chronological presentation of history of mathematics that allows one to better appreciate the gradual development of the subject


• Requires no prior knowledge of mathematics and is meant for the non-specialist reader interested in general mathematics literature


• Informative, yet informal presentation


• Provides insights into some of the classic problems, issues and paradoxes that illuminate mathematics at a level appropriate for secondary school


• Provides suggestions for further reading and mentions books and films about mathematicians