Garfinkle, David, 1958-
X marks the spot : the lost inheritance of mathematics / David Garfinkle, Richard Garfinkle. - First edition. - 1 online resource
Why this book? -- Sticks and stones -- Abstraction, mistrust, and laziness -- Algebra, geometry, analysis : the mathematical mindsets -- Analytic geometry -- Calculus : motion and size -- The language of motion -- Sound, notes, and harmonics -- Probability and statistics -- Other geometries : not so straight, these sticks -- Algebra and the rise of abstraction -- The smith and the knight -- Building the theoretical universe -- Computers -- The theoretical universe of modern physics : toolkit included -- Math education & math in education.
"X Marks the Spot is written from the point of view of the users of mathematics. Since the beginning, mathematical concepts and techniques (such as arithmetic and geometry) were created as tools with a particular purpose like counting sheep and measuring land areas. Understanding those purposes leads to a greater understanding of why mathematics developed as it did. Later mathematical concepts came from a process of abstracting and generalizing earlier mathematics. This process of abstraction is very powerful, but often comes at the price of intuition and understanding. This book strives to give a guided tour of the development of various branches of mathematics (and what they're used for) that will give the reader this intuitive understanding. Features: Treats mathematical techniques as tools, and areas of mathematics as the result of abstracting and generalizing earlier mathematical tools; Written in a relaxed conversational and occasionally humorous style making it easy to follow even when discussing esoterica; Unravels how mathematicians think, demystifying math and connecting it to the ways non-mathematicians think and connecting math to people's lives; Discusses how math education can be improved in order to prevent future generations from being turned off by math"--
9780429197758 0429197756 9780429588624 0429588623 9780429590566 0429590563 9780429586682 042958668X
Mathematics--History.
Mathematics--Study and teaching.
MATHEMATICS / Recreations & Games
MATHEMATICS / Arithmetic
QA21
510.9
X marks the spot : the lost inheritance of mathematics / David Garfinkle, Richard Garfinkle. - First edition. - 1 online resource
Why this book? -- Sticks and stones -- Abstraction, mistrust, and laziness -- Algebra, geometry, analysis : the mathematical mindsets -- Analytic geometry -- Calculus : motion and size -- The language of motion -- Sound, notes, and harmonics -- Probability and statistics -- Other geometries : not so straight, these sticks -- Algebra and the rise of abstraction -- The smith and the knight -- Building the theoretical universe -- Computers -- The theoretical universe of modern physics : toolkit included -- Math education & math in education.
"X Marks the Spot is written from the point of view of the users of mathematics. Since the beginning, mathematical concepts and techniques (such as arithmetic and geometry) were created as tools with a particular purpose like counting sheep and measuring land areas. Understanding those purposes leads to a greater understanding of why mathematics developed as it did. Later mathematical concepts came from a process of abstracting and generalizing earlier mathematics. This process of abstraction is very powerful, but often comes at the price of intuition and understanding. This book strives to give a guided tour of the development of various branches of mathematics (and what they're used for) that will give the reader this intuitive understanding. Features: Treats mathematical techniques as tools, and areas of mathematics as the result of abstracting and generalizing earlier mathematical tools; Written in a relaxed conversational and occasionally humorous style making it easy to follow even when discussing esoterica; Unravels how mathematicians think, demystifying math and connecting it to the ways non-mathematicians think and connecting math to people's lives; Discusses how math education can be improved in order to prevent future generations from being turned off by math"--
9780429197758 0429197756 9780429588624 0429588623 9780429590566 0429590563 9780429586682 042958668X
Mathematics--History.
Mathematics--Study and teaching.
MATHEMATICS / Recreations & Games
MATHEMATICS / Arithmetic
QA21
510.9