Significant Figures: The Lives and Work of Great Mathematicians [Hardcover]

A celebrated mathematician traces the history of math through the lives and work of twenty-five pioneering mathematicians

InSignificant Figures,acclaimed mathematician Ian Stewart explores the work of 25 of history's most important mathematicians, showing how they developed on each other's work and built the mathematics we use today.

Through these short biographies, we get acquainted with the history of mathematics from Archimedes to William Thurston, and learn about those too often left out of the cannon, such as Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, the creator of algebra; Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer; and Emmy Noether, whose research on symmetry paved the way for modern physics.

Tracing the evolution of mathematics over the course of two millennia,Significant Figureswill educate and delight aspiring mathematicians and experts alike.Ian Stewartis emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick. His recent books includeCalculating the Cosmos, Significant Figures, In Pursuit of the Unknown, andProfessor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures. He is a fellow of the Royal Society. He lives in Coventry, UK. Mathematics is the universal language, but some of its most prominent practitioners are forgotten figures--even though they've shaped our modern world.Significant Figureswalks through the lives and work of 25 great mathematicians, from Archimedes to William Thurston. It's a great primer for those interested in where our universal language of numbers comes from. Popular Mechanics Stewart folds into his biographies a broad swath of mathematics, including Euclidian and non-Euclidean geometries, set theory, calculus, algebra, and topology; readers with an affinity for math will find the material challenging and fun.
Publishers Weekly InSignificant Figures,Ian Stewart brings mathematics to life with intriguing accounts of twentl£J