Numbers: Computers, Philosophers, and the Search for Meaning

The History of Mathematics is a fascinating survey of the development of math through discovery, innovation, collaboration, and experimentation. The set presents a compelling overview of myriad aspects of mathematics using understandable language and appealing line illustrations and photographs. Numbers is an insightful look at the properties and uses of numerical quantities, from fractions to algebraic numbers, transcendental numbers, and complex numbers. We rely on numbers to carry out countless daily activities - from mapping the universe to running word-processing programs to buying lunch. Author John Tabak points out that numbers are a human invention, as seen through the compelling histories of Babylonian, Roman, and Arab thinkers and their influential systems for representing numbers. The book examines in detail the number pi, the evolution of the idea of infinity, the representation of numbers in computers, the metric and American systems of measurement, and the application of some historical concepts of numbers in such modern forms as cryptography and hand calculators. Numbers includes an index, a chronology of notable events, a glossary of terms, a helpful list of Internet resources, and an array of historical and current print sources for further research. Keyed to current principles and standards in teaching math, The History of Mathematics set is essential for young readers who require information on relevant topics in mathematics.