Numbers and Infinity: A Historical Account of Mathematical Concepts (Dover Books on Mathematics)

Book Details

• Author: Ernst Sondheimer

• Publisher: Dover

• Language: English

• Edition: Illustrated

• ISBN: 9780486452982

• Pages: 192

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches

About The Book
"Numbers and Infinity" by Ernst Sondheimer is an invaluable resource for anyone delving into the history of mathematics, making it an ideal choice for undergraduate mathematics or science history courses. In this engaging work, Sondheimer offers a fresh and accessible reconstruction of two fundamental mathematical concepts: numbers and infinity. This is one of the rare texts that presents these complex ideas with a friendly, conversational tone, avoiding tedium and controversy while maintaining historical accuracy and mathematical depth.

The book begins with an exploration of number representation, integers, types of numbers, and cubic equations, gradually progressing to more advanced topics like complex numbers, quaternions, and vectors. Sondheimer also examines the Greek conceptions of infinity, the 17th-century rise of calculus, the evolving understanding of functions, and the introduction of transfinite numbers. The text concludes with an appendix on essay topics, a bibliography, and an index, offering readers the tools to further explore these profound ideas.

Whether you are a student of mathematics or simply fascinated by its history, this book provides a clear and thought-provoking journey into the concepts that shape our understanding of the infinite and the number systems that have defined centuries of mathematical progress.