An entertaining history of mathematics as chronicled through fifty short
biographies. Mathematics today is the fruit of centuries of brilliant
insights by men and women whose personalities and life experiences were
often as extraordinary as their mathematical achievements. This
entertaining history of mathematics chronicles those achievements
through fifty short biographies that bring these great thinkers to life
while making their contributions understandable to readers with little
math background. Among the fascinating characters profiled are Isaac
Newton (1642-1727), the founder of classical physics and infinitesimal
calculus--he frequently quarreled with fellow scientists and was
obsessed by alchemy and arcane Bible interpretation; Sophie Germain
(1776 - 1831), who studied secretly at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris,
using the name of a previously enrolled male student--she is remembered
for her work on Fermat's Last Theorem and on elasticity theory; Emmy
Noether (1882 - 1935), whom Albert Einstein described as the most
important woman in the history of mathematics--she made important
contributions to abstract algebra and in physics she clarified the
connection between conservation laws and symmetry; and Srinivasa
Ramanujan (1887-1920), who came from humble origins in India and had
almost no formal training, yet made substantial contributions to
mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued
fractions. The unusual behavior and life circumstances of these and many
other intriguing personalities make for fascinating reading and a highly
enjoyable introduction to mathematics.
