EBOOK History of Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction

Mathematics is a fundamental human activity that can be practised and understood        in a multitude of ways; indeed, mathematical ideas themselves are far from being        fixed, but are adapted and changed by their passage across periods and cultures. In        this Very Short Introduction, Jacqueline Stedall explores the rich historical and        cultural diversity of mathematical endeavour from the distant past to the present        day.Arranged thematically, to exemplify the varied contexts in which people have        learned, used, and handed on mathematics, she also includes illustrative case        studies drawn from a range of times and places, including early imperial China, the        medieval Islamic world, and nineteenth-century Britain.