The Infinite in the Finite

Combining historical fact with a retelling of ancient myths and legends, the author shows how mathematics arose out of the problems of everyday life. He introduces concepts such as geometry, prime numbers, and trigonometry in a way that will totally disarm the reader who fears mathematics and sets them firmly in their historical context.

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This book is an extended history of mathematics that places mathematical development firmly in its historical context. Each section begins with a description of the geography and history of the country considered. From there, lively retelling of the creation myths and legends leads on to a description of how its people wrote and counted. This is followed by relevant mathematical material. The book covers;

* The geometry of stone circles in Europe

* The area of triangles and volume of pyramids that concerned the engineers of the Pharoahs

* The Babylonian sexagesimal number system and our present measures of space and time which grew out of it

* The use of the abacus and remainder theory in China

* Greek mathematics from Pythagoras to Pappus. Detailed accounts of the work of apollonius and Archimedes are given.

* The invention of trigonometry by Arab mathematicians

* The solution of quadratic equations by completing the square developed in India

Each chapter has a mathematical case study which is discussed both in the context of thetimes and in th light of more recent developments. Worked examples are also included.

"The author has woven together a broad historical backgrounding and some fairly detailed but accessible mathematics in amost exciting way." John Fauvel, author of Let Newton Be!