"Leo teaches his cat Pallas all about lines by applying his knowledge of geometry to their Stone Age world. Funny illustrations and stories provide a humorous introduction to math concepts. Leo explains the significance of points and how many points together make up lines and segments. Information boxes accompany each story to explore real applications of lines in the natural and designed world."--
"Leo teaches his cat Pallas all about triangles by applying his knowledge of geometry to their Stone Age world. Entertaining illustrations and stories provide a fun introduction to math concepts, explaining that different shapes created by the meeting of three lines are given different names. Information boxes accompany each story to explore real applications of triangles in the natural and designed world."--
Mathematics is more important than ever, but phrases like "math avoidance" and "math anxiety" are very much in the public vocabulary. In addition to providing an invitation to mathematics in general, this book emphasizes the dynamic character of geometry and its role as part of the foundation for our cultural heritage. Aimed at an informed public and future teachers of mathematics, it seeks to heal the ills of math phobia in society.
Originally, my intention was to write a "History of Algebra", in two or three volumes. In preparing the first volume I saw that in ancient civiliza tions geometry and algebra cannot well be separated: more and more sec tions on ancient geometry were added. Hence the new title of the book: "Geometry and Algebra in Ancient Civilizations". A subsequent volume on the history of modem algebra is in preparation. It will deal mainly with field theory, Galois theory and theory of groups. I want to express my deeply felt gratitude to all those who helped me in shaping this volume. In particular, I want to thank Donald Blackmore Wagner (Berkeley) who put at my disposal his English translation of the most interesting parts of the Chinese "Nine Chapters of the Art of Arith metic" and of Liu Hui's commentary to this classic, and also Jacques Se siano (Geneva), who kindly allowed me to use his translation of the re cently discovered Arabic text of four books of Diophantos not extant in Greek. Warm thanks are also due to Wyllis Bandler (Colchester, England) who read my English text very carefully and suggested several improve ments, and to Annemarie Fellmann (Frankfurt) and Erwin Neuenschwan der (Zurich) who helped me in correcting the proof sheets. Miss Fellmann also typed the manuscript and drew the figures. I also want to thank the editorial staff and production department of Springer-Verlag for their nice cooperation.
These six-sided wonders are hiding all around us! Bees and turtles both love them. Easy text and large pictures help early readers discover hexagons are fun!
