| Physical description |
xvi, 259 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. ; 24 cm. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Prologue : Cambridge, England, 1993 -- 1. Mesopotamia, 1800 BCE -- Sidebar 1 : did the Egyptians know it? -- 2. Pythagoras -- 3. Euclid's Elements -- Sidebar 2 : the Pythagorean theorem in art, poetry, and prose -- 4. Archimedes -- 5. Translators and commentators, 500-1500 CE -- 6. Francois Viete makes history -- 7. From the infinite to the infinitesimal -- Sidebar 3 : a remarkable formula by Euler -- 8. 371 proofs, and then some -- Sidebar 4 : the folding bag -- Sidebar 5 : Einstein meets Pythagoras -- Sidebar 6 : a most unusual proof -- 9. A theme and variations -- Sidebar 7 : A Pythagorean curiosity -- Sidebar 8 : a case of overuse -- 10. Strange coordinates -- 11. Notation, notation, notation -- 12. From flat space to curved spacetime -- Sidebar 9 : a case of misuse -- 13. Prelude to relativity -- 14. From Bern to Berlin, 1905-1915 -- Sidebar 10 : four Pythagorean brainteasers -- 15. But is it universal? -- 16. Afterthoughts -- Epilogue : Samos, 2005 -- App. A. How did the Babylonians approximate [square root of]2? -- App. B. Pythagorean triples -- App. C. Sums of two squares -- App. D. A proof that [square root of]2 is irrational -- App. E. Archimedes' formula for circumscribing polygons -- App. F. Proof of some formulas from chapter 7 -- App. G. Deriving the equation x[superscript 2/3] + y[superscript 2/3] = 1 -- App. H. Solutions to brainteasers. |
| Subject |
Pythagorean theorem -- History.
|
| ISBN |
9780691125268 (acid-free paper) |
|
0691125260 (acid-free paper) |
|
