Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) by Stuart Hollingdale (PDF)

Description

Fascinating and highly readable, this book recounts the history of mathematics as revealed in the lives and writings of the most distinguished practitioners of the art: Archimedes, Descartes, Fermat, Pascal, Newton, Leibniz, Euler, Gauss, Hamilton, Einstein, and many more. Author Stuart Hollingdale introduces and explains the roles of these gifted and often colorful figures in the development of mathematics as well as the ways in which their work relates to mathematics as a whole.Although the emphasis in this absorbing survey is primarily biographical, Hollingdale also discusses major historical themes and explains new ideas and techniques. No specialized mathematical knowledge on the part of the reader is assumed. Superbly informative, this volume offers an accessible, interesting guide to one of the pillars of modern science, and to a supremely important aspect of human culture through the ages.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I bought this for a class this semester. Relatively an easy read for all kinds. I have an advanced math background so I understand more of the semantics, but my father who is a professional writer found it to be an easy read. The tidbits about the mathematician’s lives are always a charming insight into the person behind the theory. There is an equal balance between the math and the history. As a mathematician/writer I would highly recommend this book.

⭐The book’s status is very good. So I will be able to study Mathematics and English. (I am a Japanese.)

⭐A very interesting history of mathematics by british author Stuart Hollingdale. The book is arranged in chronological order, with the first chapter dealing with the mathematics of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and the last chapter with the latest developments in math. The mathematics of ancient Greece is covered very thoroughly, in particular. Each chapter, with the exception of the first one, takes the work of one mathematician to analyze the mathematics of the period. One can argue with the book here and there (putting Einstein as a mathematician, covering very little of 20th century developments) but all in all this is a good volume. Note: while the book is not overly complex, it is not for the completely uninitiated either, as it supposes some previous knowledge of math to understand it.

⭐I picked up this one after reading Koestlers ‘The sleepwalkers’. The cover pic too shows us Newton and other mathematical giants, so I was hoping to find a good biographical account, of the factors that shaped the lives of the makers of mathematics, and some of the social and political events that led to their theories being published.However… the book is a far cry from a biographical account. It instead dwells more on the mathematical contributions of these pioneers, and the emphasis is on presenting their works in more accessible and readable ways. Thus, it might be a good book if you wish to indulge in coffee table discussions of what Euclid’s Elements was all about, but if you want to know how 400 men just walked away with Pythagoras to join the brotherhood after hearing his inspiring speech, without even going back to tell their families… this is not the book for you.My rating is low since it did not live up to my expectations, formed from the title of the book.

⭐Somehow this book found its way into my library 20 years ago. (I am a land surveyor who does trig and geometry for a living.) I value it highly, and since it is yellowing, I searched Amazon to see if it is still available. Thankfully, it is. The chapter on Archimedes, and especially his “Method” of “mechanically” relating weights, levers, and volumes, should humble the most vain intelligence out there.

⭐An excellent book which gives an interesting background on the development of Mathematics. I actually bought this book to gain a deeper understanding on the subject, in order to facilitate my personal statement as part of my university application to read Maths.I would say it is an excellent choice if like me, you intend to give your personal statement the ‘wow factor’. The book contains some interesting History – from Mathematics used in Ancient Egypt to the involvement of Mathematics in the culture of the later Hellenistic period, as well as an array of theorems. Overall the book gives the work of pioneering Mathematicians – such as Fermat and Pascal – great justice by signifying their contribution to the awe-inspiring world of Mathematics.

Keywords

Free Download Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) in PDF format
Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) PDF Free Download
Download Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) 2014 PDF Free
Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) 2014 PDF Free Download
Download Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics) PDF
Free Download Ebook Makers of Mathematics (Dover Books on Mathematics)