Quite Right: The Story of Mathematics, Measurement, and Money

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Norman Biggs (Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus, London School of Economics)

Quite Right

The Story of Mathematics, Measurement, and Money

Norman Biggs (Professor Emeritus, Professor Emeritus, London School of Economics)

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QTY:

English

Oxford University Press
25 January 2016

Mathematics & Sciences; History of mathematics

Mathematics didn't spring spontaneously to life, rules and definitions set in stone for all time. Its progress story has rich connections with measurement and money that have often shaped its development and driven its progress, a process that continues to this day. Quite Right explains how simple mathematical ideas have evolved all the way from prehistoric times so that they pervade almost every aspect of life in the 21st century.

Most histories of mathematics look at the narrow role of professional mathematicians through the ages. Professor Biggs' sweeping tale is far wider. Making use of new discoveries of artefacts and documents, he reveals the part that mathematics has played in the human story and reflects on the nature of mathematics itself. The story reveals the power and beauty of mathematical concepts, which often belie their utilitarian origins. The twin paradigms of logical justification and algorithmic calculation recur throughout the book. Another theme is the relationship between mathematics and measurement of all kinds. No other book covers money and measurement in this way.

Includes sections on:
-- The origins of banking and interest in ancient Mesopotamia
-- Using mathematics to keep secrets in medieval times
-- The impact of tax and trade on the development of mathematics
-- Financial speculation in our information age
-- The role mathematics plays today in keeping you safe

Quite Right is a fascinating story, suitable for anyone interested in the foundations of the mathematical world we live in.

By: Norman Biggs (Professor Emeritus Professor Emeritus London School of Economics)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 241mm, Width: 172mm, Spine: 17mm
Weight: 452g
ISBN: 9780198753353
ISBN 10: 0198753357
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 25 January 2016
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. The Unwritten Story ; 2. The Dawn of Civilization ; 3. From Tax and Trade to Theorems ; 4. The Age of Algorithms ; 5. The End of the Middle Ages ; 6. A New World of Mathematics ; 7. Mathematics Ascending ; 8. Taking a Chance ; 9. Modelling and Measuring ; 10. Mathematics and Money in the Age of Information ; 11. Can Mathematics Keep Us Safe

Norman Biggs has been a university lecturer for over 50 years. After graduating from the University of Cambridge he became an Assistant Lecturer at Southampton University in 1963, and subsequently taught at Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics. Since 2006 he has been Emeritus Professor at the LSE and has continued to give lectures on information theory and the history of mathematics.

Reviews for Quite Right: The Story of Mathematics, Measurement, and Money

I would recommend this book to those who are interested in a unique perspective of the history of mathematics. * Marsha Nicol Guntharp, Mathematics Teacher * The text is quite accessible ... The useful illustrations and schemes are in gray-scale and to the point. * Adhemar Bultheel, EMS Newsletter * [A]n excellent history of mathematics ... A lot of territory is covered very well in a relatively short read. Thus, if you want an brief introduction to the history of mathematics, either for yourself, or to use as part of a first course on the subject for students, then you would be Quite Right to make this book your choice. * Mark McCartney, London Mathematical Society Newsletter * It is the different view on the history of mathematical ideas as compared to other books which renders this book a gem. * Thomas Sonar, Zentralblatt MATH * This is an excellent popular history of mathematics. * Charles Ashbacher, Mathematical Association of America Reviews * Recommended. * CHOICE *