The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History

By any measure, the Pythagorean theorem is the most famous statement in all of mathematics. In this book, Eli Maor reveals the full story of this ubiquitous geometric theorem. Maor shows that the theorem, although attributed to Pythagoras, was known to the Babylonians more than a thousand years earlier. Pythagoras may have been the first to prove it, but his proof--if indeed he had one--is lost to us. The theorem itself, however, is central to almost every branch of science, pure or applied. Maor brings to life many of the characters that played a role in the development of the Pythagorean theorem, providing a fascinating backdrop to perhaps our oldest enduring mathematical legacy.

Author: Eli Maor
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 08/15/2010
Series: Princeton Science Library #28
Pages: 280
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.20w x 0.69d
ISBN: 9780691148236
Revised Edition