Math Through the Ages: A Gentle History for Teachers and Others

I came across this book because a friend of mine uses it in a college class for math ed. It's really well written and makes the material accessible for people whose math background isn't necessarily very strong. I bet it could even be used for high school students. The exercises and projects are really good, too.

For math teachers at the high school or college level, or anyone else interested in math, this is an ideal introduction to the history of math. Start with the 55-page overview. Then read any or all of the articles that follow, on a variety of topics such as negative numbers, pi, quadratic equations, the Pythagorean theorem, the history of probability theory, and infinity, all around five pages each. Once you're finished with that, there's an extensive bibliography with plenty of suggestions for further reading on the topics that have piqued your interest.Throughout, the authors have striven for (and succeeded at attaining) readability, accessibility, and historical accuracy. The result is a book that scores high marks for being both interesting and informative.

As students struggle through their mathematics lessons, it is sometimes helpful for them to understand that the creators of their torment often struggled as well. Furthermore, when we present the polished mathematics of calculus, linear algebra and so forth, educators often forget the long historical road that led to the material that we handle so well. In this excellent book covering the history of mathematics, the authors demonstrate a competency of exposition and a focus on the key points that students and teachers can both appreciate. It begins with a short and rapid recapitulation of mathematics from the first primitive scratches in the dust to the role of computers in solving problems. After this whirlwind beginning, you are subjected to twenty-five short essays, each about a specific point in mathematical history. By point, I don't mean in time, rather a point as in a position in a discussion. These essays are very well written and each would be excellent fodder for a one-hour class lecture or presentation. Questions for discussion and material for projects are included with each of the short essays. Topics covered in the essays include: the development of the zero, the story of pi, writing fractions, negative numbers, the development of coordinate geometry, complex numbers, Non-Euclidean geometry, probability theory and Boolean algebra. This is by far the best book I have seen for courses in the history of mathematics. With the essays, problems and ideas for projects, all an instructor needs to do is read, discuss and enjoy. If your interest is in learning a bit more about the history of mathematics, it will also serve you well in that capacity.Published in the recreational mathematics e-mail newsletter, reprinted with permission.

This book is a resource that all high school teachers should have. It begins with a relatively short (about 60 pages) history of mathematics and then diverges into a series of indepth explorations of particular mathematical topics. The history section at the beginning has many small tidbits which will enhance the learning experience. The indepth explorations, which range from Pythagorus to geometry, will nicely enhance your lesson plans. Most of them can serve as the theme that particular lessons can be built around. I am currently working on my practicum at a local highschool and I am using the book regularly.

Most of the texts available for history of mathematics courses are aimed at upper-level undergraduate students and try to be encyclopedic. This book fills a needed hole in the offerings through its accessibility to freshmen, and its explicit aim not to cover everything. It contains a 56-page snapshot overview followed by 25 articles on particular topics, ideal jumping-off points for student presentations and/or research projects. The articles are clearly written, not intimidating yet accurate and sensitive to the current state of the art in the field. The references to further reading are useful and reliable sources.After 13 years of frustration, I may finally have found a book that works with my course. Highly recommended!