Unknown quantity : a real and imaginary history of algebra / John Derbyshire.
Pubblicazione:
Washington : J. Henry press, c2006.
Descrizione fisica:
VIII, 374 p., [8] p. di tav. : ill., ritr. ; 24 cm
Contiene:
Indice: Introduction. Math primer: numbers and polynomials. Pt. 1. The unknown quantity: 1. Four thousand years ago 2. The father of algebra 3. Completion and reduction. Math primer: cubic and quartic equations. 4. Commerce and competition 5. Relief for the imagination. Pt. 2. Universal arithmetic: 6. The lion's claw. Math primer: roots of unity. 7. The assault on the quintic. Math primer: vector spaces and algebras. 8. The leap into the fourth dimension 9. An oblong arrangement of terms 10. Victoria's Brumous Isles. Pt. 3. Levels of abstraction: Math primer: field theory. 11. Pistols at dawn 12. Lady of the rings. Math primer: algebraic geometry. 13. Geometry makes a comeback 14. Algebraic this, algebraic that 15. From universal arithmetic to universal algebra. Endnotes. Picture credits. Index
