Math through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others Expanded Second Edition

William P. Berlinghoff · Fernando Q. Gouvea

May 2020 · AMS/MAA Textbooks Book 32 · American Mathematical Soc.

About this ebook

`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.

About the author

William Berlinghoff was educated at the College of the Holy Cross, Boston College, and Wesleyan University, where he received his PhD in Mathematics. He began his teaching career at the College of St Rose in Albany, New York, was Professor of Mathematics at Southern Connecticut State University, and was Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He regularly taught a mathematics course for liberal arts students that drew heavily on the historical development of the subject. He is the author or a co-author of several college texts for liberal arts mathematics, including A Mathematics Sampler (5th edition, 2001). He was also a Senior Writer for MATH Connections, a Standards-based secondary school core curriculum.