Introducing Mathematics: A Graphic Guide

By Ziauddin Sardar, Jerry Ravetz and Borin Van Loon

What is mathematics, and why is it such a mystery to so many people? Mathematics is the greatest creation of human intelligence. It affects us all. We depend on it in our daily lives, and yet many of the tools of mathematics, such as geometry, algebra and trigonometry, are descended from ancient or non-Western civilizations.

Introducing Mathematics traces the story of mathematics from the ancient world to modern times, describing the great discoveries and providing an accessible introduction to such topics as number-systems, geometry and algebra, the calculus, the theory of the infinite, statistical reasoning and chaos theory. It shows how the history of mathematics has seen progress and paradox go hand in hand - and how this is still happening today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Books Ltd
• Release date: Jul 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9781848319691

Ziauddin Sardar

Ziauddin Sardar was born in Pakistan and grew up in Hackney. A writer, broadcaster and cultural critic, he is one of the world's foremost Muslim intellectuals and author of more than fifty books on Islam, science and contemporary culture, including the highly acclaimed Desperately Seeking Paradise. He has been listed by Prospect magazine as one of Britain's top 100 intellectuals. Currently he is the Director of Centre for Postnormal Policy and Futures Studies at East West University, Chicago, co-editor of the quarterly Critical Muslim, consulting editor of Futures, a monthly journal on policy, planning and futures studies, and Chair of the Muslim Institute in London. www.ziauddinsardar.com ZIAUDDIN SARDAR is an internationally renowned writer, futurist, and cultural critic. Author of some 30 books, he was recently appointed editor of Futures: The Journal of Policy, Planning and Future Studies. He has been actively involved in the futures movement for over two decades and is an executive board member of the World Futures Studies Federation.

Reviews for Introducing Mathematics

[MarkMeiss · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is a graphic guide in only the loosest possible sense. The illustrations are generally randomly selected stock images with no particular relevance to the topic at hand, and the text itself is poorly edited. The work as a whole is amateurish and lazy.

In fairness to the authors, the entire "graphic guide" series has abysmal standards of editing, design, and illustration.

[shekar babu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

mensuration

[gottfried_leibniz-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, this book will give you a tiny glimpse on the history of Mathematics. If you are interested to learn about it, do buy it.