E-Books →Quite Right The Story of Mathematics, Measurement, and Money

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 MesopotamiaUsing mathematics to keep secrets in medieval timesThe impact of tax and trade on the development of mathematicsFinancial speculation in our information ageThe 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.