History of mathematics

Mathematics is an essential human activity that can be practiced and understood in many ways. It is true that mathematical ideas themselves are far from being static, but they change and adapt as they pass through different historical periods and cultures. In this book from the "Very Short Introduction" series, Jacqueline Stedall explores the rich historical and cultural diversity of the pursuits of the science of mathematics, from ancient times to the present day. Through a number of fascinating case studies taken from a range of times and places, including early Imperial China, the Islamic world in the Middle Ages, and Britain in the nineteenth century; this book sheds light on some of the different contexts in which people learned, used, and transmitted mathematics.