An exciting look at the world of elementary mathematics Elements of
Mathematics takes readers on a fascinating tour that begins in
elementary mathematics—but, as John Stillwell shows, this subject is
not as elementary or straightforward as one might think. Not all
topics that are part of today's elementary mathematics were always
considered as such, and great mathematical advances and discoveries
had to occur in order for certain subjects to become "elementary."
Stillwell examines elementary mathematics from a distinctive
twenty-first-century viewpoint and describes not only the beauty and
scope of the discipline, but also its limits. From Gaussian integers
to propositional logic, Stillwell delves into arithmetic, computation,
algebra, geometry, calculus, combinatorics, probability, and logic. He
discusses how each area ties into more advanced topics to build
mathematics as a whole. Through a rich collection of basic principles,
vivid examples, and interesting problems, Stillwell demonstrates that
elementary mathematics becomes advanced with the intervention of
infinity. Infinity has been observed throughout mathematical history,
but the recent development of "reverse mathematics" confirms that
infinity is essential for proving well-known theorems, and helps to
determine the nature, contours, and borders of elementary mathematics.
Elements of Mathematics gives readers, from high school students to
professional mathematicians, the highlights of elementary mathematics
and glimpses of the parts of math beyond its boundaries.
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From Euclid to Gödel
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781400880560
Publisert
2016
Utgiver
Princeton University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter