The Development of Mathematics Throughout the Centuries: A Brief History in Cultural Context

Introduction ix

PART 1 MATHEMATICS IN AFRICA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION 1
1 ANCIENT CIVILIZATION MATHEMATICS: AFRICA AS OUR BIRTHPLACE 3
2 ANCIENT EGYPTIAN MATHEMATICS: THE TIME OF THE PHARAOHS 7
3 BABYLONIAN MATHEMATICS: THE MESOPOTAMIAN CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION 17
4 GREEK MATHEMATICS: THE ARCHAIC PERIOD 25
5 GREEK MATHEMATICS: THE CLASSICAL PERIOD 37
6 GREEK MATHEMATICS: THE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN/BYZANTINE PERIODS 45

PART 2 MATHEMATICS IN ASIA AND PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA 59
7 CHINESE MATHEMATICS: ANCIENT TIMES TO THE MIDDLE AGES 61
8 INDIAN MATHEMATICS: ANCIENT TIMES TO THE MIDDLE AGES 75
9 ISLAMIC MATHEMATICS: PRESERVATION,INNOVATION, AND CONNECTION BETWEEN EAST AND WEST 87
10 PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICAN MATHEMATICS: THE OLMEC, MAYA, AND INCA CIVILIZATIONS 97

PART 3 MATHEMATICS IN EUROPE 105
11 EUROPEAN MATHEMATICS: THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE RENAISSANCE 107
12 EUROPEAN MATHEMATICS: THE 17TH CENTURY 123
13 EUROPEAN MATHEMATICS: THE 18TH CENTURY 143
14 EUROPEAN MATHEMATICS: THE 19TH CENTURY 157

PART 4 MATHEMATICS IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES 175
15 EUROPEAN, AMERICAN, AND GLOBAL MATHEMATICS: THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES 177
16 EUROPEAN, AMERICAN, AND GLOBAL MATHEMATICS: A SHIFT IN THE 20TH CENTURY 199
17 AMERICAN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION: THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES 207

Resources and Recommended Readings 219
Index 221