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Archimedes : what did he do besides cry eureka? / Sherman Stein.

By: Stein, Sherman K.
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookSeries: Classroom resource materials.Publisher: Washington DC : Mathematical Association of America, 1999Description: x, 155 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. + pbk.ISBN: 0883857189.Subject(s): Archimedes | Mathematicians -- Greece -- Biography | Mathematics, GreekDDC classification: 510.92
Contents:
The life of Archimedes? -- The law of the lever -- Center of gravity -- Big literary find in Constantinople -- The mechanical method -- Two sums -- The parabola -- Floating bodies -- The spiral -- The sphere -- Archimedes traps pie.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number Copy number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
General Lending MTU Bishopstown Library Lending 510.92 (Browse shelf(Opens below)) 1 Available 00077481
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Many people have heard two things about Archimedes: he was the greatest mathematician of antiquity, and he ran naked from his bath crying ``Eureka!''. However, few people are familiar with the actual accomplishments upon which his enduring reputation rests, and it is the aim of this book to shed light upon this matter. Archimedes' ability to achieve so much with the few mathematical tools at his disposal was astonishing. He made fundamental advances in the fields of geometry, mechanics, and hydrostatics. No great mathematical expertise is required of the reader, and the book is well illustrated with over 100 diagrams. It will prove fascinating to students and professional mathematicians alike.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 149-152) and index.

The life of Archimedes? -- The law of the lever -- Center of gravity -- Big literary find in Constantinople -- The mechanical method -- Two sums -- The parabola -- Floating bodies -- The spiral -- The sphere -- Archimedes traps pie.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

  • 1 The life of Archimedes
  • 2 The lever
  • 3 The centre of gravity
  • 4 Big literary find in Constantinople
  • 5 The mechanical method
  • 6 Two sums
  • 7 The parabola
  • 8 Floating bodies
  • 9 The spiral
  • 10 The ball
  • 11 Archimedes traps p

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

The name Archimedes is well known, yet few people (even mathematicians) can accurately relate why his mathematical works are important. Often, what is known is incorrect or approaches mythical proportions. To correct these misconceptions, Stein discusses Archimedes' significant discoveries in an informal manner accessible to anyone who has had high school algebra, giving special attention to exposing those "mathematical gems" that everyone should know. Among them are the idea of the lever, a theory of the center of gravity relative to floating bodies, the "infinite" summing of geometric series (e.g., determining an approximation of pi), and Archimedes' mechanical method related to the calculation of volumes. Great diagrams enrich the text and its mathematical arguments; the cover includes a photograph of one page of Archimedes' Palimpsest (reason enough to own the book). An appendix develops the mathematics underlying an affine mapping, which then provides the "power" needed for a concise exploration of Archimedes' properties of a parabola. Acceptable reference list. Highly recommended to anyone interested in mathematics and its history, as it is eye-opening and a great read. General readers; undergraduates through faculty. J. Johnson; Western Washington University

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