Heavenly Mathematics: The Forgotten Art of Spherical Trigonometry

By: Glen Van Brummelen

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Synopsis: Heavenly Mathematics traces the rich history of spherical trigonometry, revealing how the cultures of classical Greece, medieval Islam, and the modern West used this forgotten art to chart the heavens and the Earth. Once at the heart of astronomy and ocean-going navigation for two millennia, the discipline was also a mainstay of mathematics education for centuries and taught widely until the 1950s. Glen Van Brummelen explores this exquisite branch of mathematics and its role in ancient astronomy, geography, and cartography; Islamic religious rituals; celestial navigation; polyhedra; stereographic projection; and more. He conveys the sheer beauty of spherical trigonometry, providing readers with a new appreciation of its elegant proofs and often surprising conclusions. Heavenly Mathematics is illustrated throughout with stunning historical images and informative drawings and diagrams. This unique compendium also features easy-to-use appendixes as well as exercises that originally appeared in textbooks from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:: 9781400844807
Related ISBNs:: 9780691175997, 9780691148922
Publisher:: Princeton University Press
Date of Addition:: 09/23/17
Copyrighted By:: Princeton University Press
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.