An exploration of one of the most celebrated and well-known theorems
in mathematics
By any measure, the Pythagorean theorem is the most famous statement in
all of mathematics. In this book, Eli Maor reveals the full story of
this ubiquitous geometric theorem. Although attributed to Pythagoras,
the theorem was known to the Babylonians more than a thousand years
earlier. Pythagoras may have been the first to prove it, but his
proof--if indeed he had one--is lost to us. The theorem itself, however,
is central to almost every branch of science, pure or applied. Maor
brings to life many of the characters that played a role in its history,
providing a fascinating backdrop to perhaps our oldest enduring
mathematical legacy.