The Historical Roots of Elementary Mathematics

by Lucas N.H. Bunt, Phillip S. Jones, Jack D. Bedient

"Will delight a broad spectrum of readers." — American Mathematical Monthly.
Do long division as the ancient Egyptians did! Solve quadratic equations like the Babylonians! Study geometry just as students did in Euclid's day! This unique text offers students of mathematics an exciting and enjoyable approach to geometry and number systems. Written in a fresh and thoroughly diverting style, the text — while designed chiefly for classroom use — will appeal to anyone curious about mathematical inscriptions on Egyptian papyri, Babylonian cuneiform tablets, and other ancient records.
The authors have produced an illuminated volume that traces the history of mathematics — beginning with the Egyptians and ending with abstract foundations laid at the end of the nineteenth century. By focusing on the actual operations and processes outlined in the text, students become involved in the same problems and situations that once confronted the ancient pioneers of mathematics. The text encourages readers to carry out fundamental algebraic and geometric operations used by the Egyptians and Babylonians, to examine the roots of Greek mathematics and philosophy, and to tackle still-famous problems such as squaring the circle and various trisectorizations.
Unique in its detailed discussion of these topics, this book is sure to be welcomed by a broad range of interested readers. The subject matter is suitable for prospective elementary and secondary school teachers, as enrichment material for high school students, and for enlightening the general reader. No specialized or advanced background beyond high school mathematics is required.

Genres: Mathematics, History, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1988

Reviews

[Akos Hochrein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a good read to learn about how people perceived math in the past. Sometimes the text can get a bit too heavy for people who are not used to math lingo, though.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the three texts we read in my history of math class, this one was my favorite. It read like a textbook, but it was pretty straightforward although some of the math was challenging. Each section had practice problems which was a nice way to check if we were learning the material. It was fun learning how to do math the way the Egyptians and Babylonians did, and the explanations of all the propositions from Euclid's Elements were very thorough.