Cassell's Story of Mathematics from Counting to Complexity

by Richard Mankiewicz

How has mathematics evolved over the centuries and for what reasons? How have human endeavour and changes in the way we live been dependent on mathematics? How has our understanding of the universe been shaped by our knowledge of mathematics? In this book, Richard Mankiewicz tells the story of this essential intellectual activity across cultures and civilizations and shows how, far from being just the obsession of an elite group of philosophers, priests and scientists, mathematics has - in some shape or other - entered every area of human activity. The mysterious tally sticks of prehistoric peoples and the terrestial maps used for trade, exploration and warfare; the perennial fascination with the motions of heavenly bodies and changing perspectives on the art and science of all are testament to a mathematics at the heart of history.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000