Great Moments in Mathematics (before 1650)

Front Cover
MAA, 1983 - 270 pages
[V.1] Great moments in mathematics before 1650 is the product of a series of lectures on the history of mathematics given by Howard Eves. He presents here, in chronological order, 20 "great moments in mathematics before 1650," which can be appreciated by anyone who enjoys mathematics. These wonderful lectures could be used as the basis of a course on the history of mathematics, but can also serve as enrichment to any mathematics course. Included are lectures on the Pythagorean Theorem, Euclid's Elements, Archimedes (on the sphere), Diophantus, Omar Khayyam, and Fibonacci.

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Contents

LECTURE TWO The greatest Egyptian pyramid
8
LECTURE FOUR The first great theorem
26
LECTURE FIVE Precipitation of the first crisis
43
LECTURE SEVEN First steps in organizing mathematics
62
LECTURE NINE The thinker and the thug
83
LECTURE TEN A boost from astronomy
96
LECTURE ELEVEN The first great number theorist
110
LECTURE twelve The syncopation of algebra
126
LECTURE FOURTEEN The poetmathematician of Khorasan
148
LECTURE FIFTEEN The blockhead
160
LECTURE SEVENTEEN Doubling the life of the astronomer
182
LECTURE NINETEEN Slicing it thin
206
Hints for the solution of some of the exercises
229
Index
261
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