The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History by Eli Maor

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Synopsis

"At last, a popular book that isn't afraid to print a mathematical formula in all its symbolic glory! Thanks to Eli Maor for proving--in his delightful, playful way--the eternal importance of a three-sided idea as old as humankind."--Dava Sobel, author of Longitude"Eli Maor has brought four thousand years of history back to life, all based on the Pythagorean theorem but still giving the times a distinctly human look. This book is designed for readers who are inspired, or who want to be inspired, by the numbers that Eli uses to tell his story. Readers will learn about the mathematics of the time, but more important, they will understand the people and the ideas of that period. A monumental effort."--David H. Levy, National Sharing the Sky Foundation"There's a lot more to the Pythagorean theorem than a² + b² = c², and you'll find it all in Eli Maor's new book. Destined to become a classic, this book is written with Maor's usual high level of skill, scholarship, and attention to detail. He's also got a sense of humor that will please a range of readers. As we used to say in the 1950s, 'Miss it and be square!'"--Paul J. Nahin, author of Chases and Escapes and Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula"Eli Maor states that the Pythagorean theorem 'is arguably the most frequently used theorem in all of mathematics.' He then supports this claim by taking his reader on a journey from the earliest evidence of knowledge of the theorem to Einstein's theory of relativity and Wiles's proof of Fermat's last theorem, from the Babylonians around 1800 BCE to the end of the twentieth century. I think that the reader who makes the journey with Maor will be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt. He is thefirst author who has sifted through all the mathematics, history of mathematics, and physics books and collected for us just the material directly related to the Pythagorean theorem."--Robert W. Langer, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire

Biography

Eli Maor teaches the history of mathematics at Loyola University in Chicago. He is the author of "Venus in Transit, Trigonometric Delights, e: The Story of a Number", and "To Infinity and Beyond: A Cultural History of the Infinite" (all Princeton).