A Brief History of Mathematics for Curious Minds

This book offers a short and accessible account of the history of mathematics, written for the intelligent layman to gain a better appreciation of its beauty, relevance, and place in history. It traces the development of the subject throughout the centuries, starting with the so-called Lebombo bone, the oldest known mathematical object that was estimated to be at least 43,000 years old, and ending with the 21st century. The presentation is informal, and no prior knowledge of mathematics is needed to enjoy the systematic chronological insights. A collection of appendices is included for more technical material — though still at the level of secondary school mathematics — and is concerned with the historically important proofs and concepts that can be explained in a simple way.

Preface From the Beginnings to 6th Century BCE The Greeks (From 6th Century BCE to 5th Century CE) Ancient Chinese and Indian Mathematics (From 5th Century BCE to 5th Century CE) The Romans and the Middle Ages (From 1st Century BCE to the 15th Century) The Early Modern World (From the 15th to 17th Century) The 18th Century The 19th Century The 20th and 21st Centuries Final Remarks Further Reading Appendices Bibliography Name Index