| Summary: | James Gow's A Short History of Greek Mathematics provided the first full account of the subject available in English, & it today remains a clear & thorough guide to early arithmetic & geometry. Beginning with the origins of the numerical system & proceeding through the theorems of Pythagoras, Euclid, Archimedes & many others, the text offers in-depth analysis & useful translations of individual texts as well as a historical overview of the development of mathematics. Parts I & II concern Greek arithmetic, including the origin of alphabetic numerals & the nomenclature for operations; Part III constitutes a complete history of Greek geometry, from its earliest precursors in Egypt & Babylon through to the innovations of the Ionic, Sophistic, & Academic schools & their followers. Particular attention is given to Pythagorus, Euclid, Archimedes, & Ptolemy, but a host of lesser-known thinkers receive deserved attention as well
|
|---|