Mathematical Expeditions: Chronicles by the Explorers

by Reinhard C. Laubenbacher, David Pengelley

The stories of five mathematical journeys into new realms, pieced together from the writings of the explorers themselves. Some were guided by mere curiosity and the thrill of adventure, others by more practical motives. In each case the outcome was a vast expansion of the known mathematical world and the realisation that still greater vistas remain to be explored. The authors tell these stories by guiding readers through the very words of the mathematicians at the heart of these events, providing an insightinto the art of approaching mathematical problems. The five chapters are completely independent, with varying levels of mathematical sophistication, and will attract students, instructors, and the intellectually curious reader. By working through some of the original sources and supplementary exercises, which discuss and solve -- or attempt to solve -- a great problem, this book helps readers discover the roots of modern problems, ideas, and concepts, even whole subjects. Students will also see the obstacles that earlier thinkers had to clear in order to make their respective contributions to five central themes in the evolution of mathematics.

Genres: Mathematics

286 pages, Hardcover

First published December 4, 1998

Reviews

[Aidan Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read the first section of this book, but I still wanted to record it here.

This was my first time reading a text that interwove historical context alongside mathematical proofs and I found it very entertaining! The first section was recommended to me by a professor to support my term paper that discussed the development of geometry. Apart from being tremendously useful towards this end, it truly shifted the way I understand the development of mathematics and the difference between how mathematics is taught versus how it was developed. I supplemented this with readings on Riemann's "On the Hypotheses which lie at the Foundations of Geometry," which I think really takes the subject of geometry from one of competing interests to a unified understanding. A fun read!