Algebra: Sets, Symbols, and the Language of Thought

John Tabak0816049548, 9780816049547

The History of Mathematics is a fascinating survey of the development of math through discovery, innovation, collaboration, and experimentation. The set presents a compelling overview of myriad aspects of mathematics using understandable language and appealing line illustrations and photographs. Algebra is a thorough examination not only of how and why this branch of mathematics arose and flourished in different cultures at different times but also of its useful applications in science and in society. Author John Tabak pinpoints the foundations of algebra more than 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia and traces its progress in other ancient civilizations around the world, including the Hindu, Greek, and Arabic cultures, and at different points in history. Mostly rhetorical in its early forms, algebra in the symbolic form that we use today was formalized in the 17th century. Over the past three centuries, algebra has taken two diverging paths: one toward increasingly higher levels of abstraction, the other toward more concrete computational methods. Tabak explores algebra as an indispensable part of every branch of mathematics and a widely utilized tool in scientific and engineering research. Algebra includes an index, a chronology of notable events, a glossary of terms, a helpful list of Internet resources, and an array of historical and current print sources. Keyed to current principles and standards in teaching math, The History of Mathematics set is essential for young readers who require information on relevant topics in mathematics.