The Whetstone of Witte

The Whetstone of Witte PDF Author: Robert Recorde
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781482589306
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
The sole edition of Robert Recorde's The Whetstone of Witte was printed at London by John Kingston in 1557. One of Recorde's concerns in this book is to develop not only a means of representing powers of numbers, but also a means of naming them. Prior to the development of a numerical index notation, the names given to the powers was of considerable importance. Hence in these pages we find terminology which is now archaic, for instance the strange word zenzizenzizenzike, the name for the eighth power of a number. It is generally acknowledged that Recorde's treatise on algebra, in the section entitled The arte of cossike numbers, is the first to be printed in the English language. Although this work owes much to the German mathematicians Christoff Rudolff and Michael Stifel, it does have one well known claim to originality; the first use of two parallel lines as the sign for equality (because noe 2 thyngs, can be moare equalle). Recorde's invention of the equals sign =, together with his adoption of the + sign (which betokeneth more) and the minus sign – (which betokeneth less) placed him at the very forefront of European practice. Like most of Recorde's books, The Whetstone is written in the form of a dialogue between a learned master and a clever, but rather precocious, scholar. After being patiently encouraged through the seconde parte of arithmetic (begun by the scholar in Recorde's first book, The Grounde of Artes) followed by the extraction of rootes, the scholar remarks 'I am moche bounde unto you … Trusting so to applie my studie, and emploie my knowlege, that it shall never repente you of your curtesie in this behalfe'. To which the master, about to start an exposition on the difficult and strange cossike arte (algebra), replies 'Then marke well my words, and you shall perceive, that I will use as moche plainesse, as I maie, in teaching : And therefore will beginne with cossick numbers first'. Here Recorde is again using terminology that is now archaic. In his day algebra was called the cossic art, derived from the Latin cosa, meaning 'thing'. The Whetstone also includes a lengthy treatise on the arte of surde nombers, that is, on irrational numbers.

Thomas Harriot's Artis Analyticae Praxis

Thomas Harriot's Artis Analyticae Praxis PDF Author: Muriel Seltman
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387495126
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
This is the first English translation of Thomas Harriot’s seminal Artis Analyticae Praxis, first published in Latin in 1631. It has recently become clear that Harriot's editor substantially rearranged the work, and omitted sections beyond his comprehension. Commentary included with this translation relates to corresponding pages in the manuscript papers, enabling exploration of Harriot's novel and advanced mathematics. This publication provides the basis for a reassessment of the development of algebra.

In Pursuit of the Unknown

In Pursuit of the Unknown PDF Author: Ian Stewart
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465029744
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
The seventeen equations that form the basis for life as we know it. Most people are familiar with history's great equations: Newton's Law of Gravity, for instance, or Einstein's theory of relativity. But the way these mathematical breakthroughs have contributed to human progress is seldom appreciated. In In Pursuit of the Unknown, celebrated mathematician Ian Stewart untangles the roots of our most important mathematical statements to show that equations have long been a driving force behind nearly every aspect of our lives. Using seventeen of our most crucial equations -- including the Wave Equation that allowed engineers to measure a building's response to earthquakes, saving countless lives, and the Black-Scholes model, used by bankers to track the price of financial derivatives over time -- Stewart illustrates that many of the advances we now take for granted were made possible by mathematical discoveries. An approachable, lively, and informative guide to the mathematical building blocks of modern life, In Pursuit of the Unknown is a penetrating exploration of how we have also used equations to make sense of, and in turn influence, our world.

The Origin of Finger-Printing

The Origin of Finger-Printing PDF Author: William James Herschel
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 46

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Book Description
This work presents a concise record of the origin of the fingerprint method of personal identification, from its discovery in Bengal in 1858 to its public demonstration there in 1877. The writer William James Herschel is credited with being the first European to notice the value of fingerprints for identification. He advocated that fingerprints were unique and permanent, documenting his own fingerprints over his lifetime to ascertain permanence.

Enlightening Symbols

Enlightening Symbols PDF Author: Joseph Mazur
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400850118
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
An entertaining look at the origins of mathematical symbols While all of us regularly use basic math symbols such as those for plus, minus, and equals, few of us know that many of these symbols weren't available before the sixteenth century. What did mathematicians rely on for their work before then? And how did mathematical notations evolve into what we know today? In Enlightening Symbols, popular math writer Joseph Mazur explains the fascinating history behind the development of our mathematical notation system. He shows how symbols were used initially, how one symbol replaced another over time, and how written math was conveyed before and after symbols became widely adopted. Traversing mathematical history and the foundations of numerals in different cultures, Mazur looks at how historians have disagreed over the origins of the numerical system for the past two centuries. He follows the transfigurations of algebra from a rhetorical style to a symbolic one, demonstrating that most algebra before the sixteenth century was written in prose or in verse employing the written names of numerals. Mazur also investigates the subconscious and psychological effects that mathematical symbols have had on mathematical thought, moods, meaning, communication, and comprehension. He considers how these symbols influence us (through similarity, association, identity, resemblance, and repeated imagery), how they lead to new ideas by subconscious associations, how they make connections between experience and the unknown, and how they contribute to the communication of basic mathematics. From words to abbreviations to symbols, this book shows how math evolved to the familiar forms we use today.

The Castle of Knowledge

The Castle of Knowledge PDF Author: Robert 1510?-1558 Recorde
Publisher: Legare Street Press
ISBN: 9781014630711
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A History of Mathematical Notations

A History of Mathematical Notations PDF Author: Florian Cajori
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486161161
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 865

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Book Description
This classic study notes the origin of a mathematical symbol, the competition it encountered, its spread among writers in different countries, its rise to popularity, and its eventual decline or ultimate survival. 1929 edition.

Five Equations That Changed the World

Five Equations That Changed the World PDF Author: Dr. Michael Guillen
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1401304915
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 239

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Book Description
A Publishers Weekly best book of 1995! Dr. Michael Guillen, known to millions as the science editor of ABC's Good Morning America, tells the fascinating stories behind five mathematical equations. As a regular contributor to daytime's most popular morning news show and an instructor at Harvard University, Dr. Michael Guillen has earned the respect of millions as a clear and entertaining guide to the exhilarating world of science and mathematics. Now Dr. Guillen unravels the equations that have led to the inventions and events that characterize the modern world, one of which -- Albert Einstein's famous energy equation, E=mc2 -- enabled the creation of the nuclear bomb. Also revealed are the mathematical foundations for the moon landing, airplane travel, the electric generator -- and even life itself. Praised by Publishers Weekly as "a wholly accessible, beautifully written exploration of the potent mathematical imagination," and named a Best Nonfiction Book of 1995, the stories behind The Five Equations That Changed the World, as told by Dr. Guillen, are not only chronicles of science, but also gripping dramas of jealousy, fame, war, and discovery.

Mathematical Writing

Mathematical Writing PDF Author: Donald E. Knuth
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780883850633
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
This book will help those wishing to teach a course in technical writing, or who wish to write themselves.

The Bieberbach Conjecture: Proceedings of the Symposium on the Occasion of the Proof

The Bieberbach Conjecture: Proceedings of the Symposium on the Occasion of the Proof PDF Author: Albert Baernstein (II)
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
ISBN: 0821815210
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
Louis de Branges of Purdue University is recognized as the mathematician who proved Bieberbach's conjecture. This book offers insight into the nature of the conjecture, its history and its proof. It is suitable for research mathematicians and analysts.

Mathematician's Delight

Mathematician's Delight PDF Author: W. W. Sawyer
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ISBN: 9780140130348
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
'The main object of this book is to dispel the fear of mathematics. Many people regard mathematicians as a race apart, possessed of almost supernatural powers. While this is very flattering for successful mathematicians, it is very bad for those who, for one reason or another, are attempting to learn the subject.' W.W. Sawyer's deep understanding of how we learn and his lively, practical approach have made this an ideal introduction to mathematics for generations of readers. By starting at the level of simple arithmetic and algebra and then proceeding step by step through graphs, logarithms and trigonometry to calculus and the dizzying world of imaginary numbers, the book takes the mystery out of maths. Throughout, Sawyer reveals how theory is subordinate to the real-life applications of mathematics - the Pyramids were built on Euclidean principles three thousand years before Euclid formulated them - and celebrates the sheer intellectual stimulus of mathematics at its best.