{"product_id":"the-crest-of-the-peacock-9780691135267","title":"The Crest of the Peacock","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRanging from the Ishango Bone of central Africa and the Inca quipu of South America to the dawn of modern mathematics, this book points out that human beings everywhere have been capable of advanced and innovative mathematical thinking. It shows us the deep influence that the Egyptians and Babylonians had on the Greeks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePraise for Princeton's previous editions: \"Enthralling... After reading it, we cannot see the past in the same comforting haze of age-old stories, faithfully and uncritically retold from teacher to pupil down the years... Invaluable for mathematics teachers at all levels.\"--New Scientist Praise for Princeton's previous editions: \"What is valuable here is the unified approach that Joseph brings ... and the non-technical clarity that the attempt to reorder historical priorities and educate his readers out of their European prejudices requires.\"--Times Literary Supplement\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePreface to the Third Edition xi  Preface to the First Edition xxiii      Chapter One: The History of Mathematics: Alternative Perspectives 1  A Justification for This Book 1  The Development of Mathematical Knowledge 3  Mathematical Signposts and Transmissions across the Ages 12      Chapter Two: Mathematics from Bones, Strings, and Standing Stones 30  Beginnings: The Ishango Bone 30  Native Americans and Their Mathematics 45  The Emergence of Written Number Systems: A Digression 58  Mayan Numeration 66      Chapter Three: The Beginnings of Written Mathematics: Egypt 79  The Urban Revolution and Its African Origins 79  Sources of Egyptian Mathematics 81  Number Recording among the Egyptians 84  Egyptian Arithmetic 88  Egyptian Algebra: The Beginnings of Rhetorical Algebra 102  Egyptian Geometry 109  Egyptian Mathematics: A General Assessment 119      Chapter Four: The Beginnings of Written Mathematics: Mesopotamia 125  Fleshing Out the History 125  Sources of Mesopotamian Mathematics 132  The Mesopotamian Number System 136  Babylonian Algebra 150  Babylonian Geometry 159      Chapter Five: Egyptian and Mesopotamian Mathematics: An Assessment 177  Changing Perceptions 178  Neglect of Egyptian and Mesopotamian Mathematics 181  The Babylonian-Egyptian-Greek  Nexus: A Seamless Story or Three Separate Episodes? 184      Chapter Six: Ancient Chinese Mathematics 188  Background and Sources 188  The Development of Chinese Numerals 198  Chinese Magic Squares (and Other Designs) 206  Mathematics from the Jiu Zhang (Suan Shu) 215      Chapter Seven: Special Topics in Chinese Mathematics 246  The \"Piling-Up of Rectangles\": The Pythagorean Theorem in China 248  Estimation of p 261  Solution of Higher-Order  Equations and Pascal's Triangle 270  Indeterminate Analysis in China 282  The Influence of Chinese Mathematics 296  Chinese Mathematics: A Final Assessment 301      Chapter Eight: Ancient Indian Mathematics 311  A Restatement of Intent and a Brief Historical Sketch 311  Math from Bricks: Evidence from the Harappan Culture 317  Mathematics from the Vedas 323  Early Indian Numerals and Their Development 338  Jaina Mathematics 349  Mathematics on the Eve of the Classical Period 356      Chapter Nine: Indian Mathematics: The Classical Period and After 372  Major Indian Mathematician-Astronomers 373  Indian Algebra 380  Indian Trigonometry 392  Other Notable Contributions 403      Chapter Ten: A Passage to Infinity: The Kerala Episode 418  The Actors 418  Transmission of Kerala Mathematics 435      Chapter Eleven: Prelude to Modern Mathematics: The Islamic Contribution 450  Historical Background 450  Major Medieval Islamic Mathematicians 455  Medieval Islam's Role in the Rise and Spread of Indian Numerals 461  Arithmetic in the Islamic World 466  Algebra in the Islamic World 475  Islamic Algebra and Its Influence on Europe 486  Geometry in the Islamic World 487  Trigonometry in the Islamic World 496  Mathematics from Related Sources 503  The Islamic Contribution: A Final Assessment 508      References 521  Name Index 543  Subject Index 549","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49396198900055,"sku":"9780691135267","price":29.75,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780691135267.jpg?v=1730415071","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/the-crest-of-the-peacock-9780691135267","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}