Trent University, Fall 2016
Mathematics 3820H
Mathematics from medieval to modern times

MATH 3820H is a survey of the history of mathematics from medieval times onwards, with a focus on the development of arithmetic and algebra and the evolution of proofs and abstraction.

Prerequisite: Mathematics 1100Y, with at least 60%, or permission of the instructor.

Stefan's Exam Period Office Hours
Thursday, 8 December, 09:00-13:00
Monday, 12 December, 09:00-14:00
Wednesday, 14 December, 09:00-13:00
Friday, 16 December, 09:00-13:00

Handouts & Work

Fall 2016

• MATH 3820H Course Outline & Schedule
• The textbook: A Short Account of the History of Mathematics (4th Edition), by W. W. Rouse Ball, 1908. A version (pdf and T_EX) is available online (for free!) from Project Gutenberg at: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/31246; you can also find it (pdf) locally here. [From the Project Gutenberg License: This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org.]
• Project
• Assignment # 1, 2, 3, π, 4, 5, 6
  • Readings for Assignment #1: The Aryabhatiya and The Algebra of Mohammed Ben Musa [i.e. al-Kwarizmi].
  • Readings for Assignment #3: Jerome Cardan: The life of Girolamo Cardano, of Milan, physician, Vol. I, by Henry Morley, and Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences, by Galileo Galilei.
  • Reading for Assignment #4: Essay on Conics by Blaise Pascal, translated by F.M. Clarke.
  • Reading for Assignment #5: An Account of the Book Entituled Commercium Epistolicum Collinii et Aliorum, de Analysi Promota by Isaac Newton (writing anonymously), edited by D.R. Wilkins.
  • Reading for Assignment #6: The Single Rule of Three Direct, excerpted from Cocker's Arithmetick, perused by J. Hawkins (22nd Edition) by Edward Cocker and John Hawkins.
• Take-Home Final Examination
  
  • Reading for question 3: Bija Ganita by Bhaskara II.
  • Initial reading for question 5: The Hindu-Arabic Numerals by L.C. Karpinski and D.E. Smith, at Project Gutenberg.

Fall 2014

• Course information:
  • Course Outline
  • Readings & Schedule
  • Project
• Assignment # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• Take-Home Final Examination

Fall 2012

• Course information:
  • Course Outline
  • Project
  • Readings & Schedule
• Assignment # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
  Reading for Assignment 11
• Take-Home Final Examination

Some Resources

There is fair bit of material available online about the history of mathematics and related areas; a brief selection follows:

• The Euler Archive
• Galileo Portal
• Gauss' Works
• Historia Mathematica, a journal on the history of mathematics. Published by Elsevier. Available at Bata Library, in print and/or electronic form, depending on the issue.
• History/Biography at The Math Forum
• History of Mathematics at Math Archives (University of Tennessee - Knoxville)
• History of Mathematics at Mathematics Resources on the Internet by Bruno Kevius
• History of mathematics article at Wikipedia
• The History of Mathematics, maintained by David R. Wilkins
• MacTutor history of mathematics archives
• The Newton Project
• The Newton Project - Canada
• Web resources on the history of mathematics, maintained by The British Society for the History of Mathematics
• Wilbour Hall, an archive of "public domain materials that are essential for the study of ancient and early modern mathematics and mathematical astronomy," maintained by Joseph Leichter.

Department of Mathematics

Trent University