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The original title for this work was “Mathematical Literacy, What Is It and Why You Need it”. The current title reflects that there can be no real learning in any subject, unless questions of who, what, when, where, why and how are raised in the minds of the learners. The book is not a mathematical text, and there are no assigned exercises or exams. It is written for reasonably intelligent and curious individuals, both those who value mathematics, aware of its many important applications and others who have been inappropriately exposed to mathematics, leading to indifference to the subject, fear and even loathing. These feelings are all consequences of meaningless presentations, drill, rote learning and being lost as the purpose of what is being studied. Mathematics education needs a radical reform. There is more than one way to accomplish this. Here the author presents his approach of wrapping mathematical ideas in a story. To learn one first must develop an interest in a problem and the curiosity to find how masters of mathematics have solved them. What is necessary to be mathematically literate? It’s not about solving algebraic equations or even making a geometric proof. These are valuable skills but not evidence of literacy. We often seek answers but learning to ask pertinent questions is the road to mathematical literacy. Here is the good news: new mathematical ideas have a way of finding applications. This is known as “the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics.”

A collection of the many biographies of scientist Isaac Newton, demonstrating the ways in which his reputation continued to develop in the centuries after his death. It includes private letters, poetry and memoranda, and explores the debate over Newton's reputation, work and personal life.

Excerpt from A Philosophical and Mathematical Dictionary, Vol. 1 of 2: Containing an Explanation of the Terms, and an Account of the Several Subjects, Comprised Under the Heads Mathematics, Astronomy, and Philosophy Both Natural and Experimental Also Memoirs of the Lives and Writing of the Eminent Authors, Both Ancient and M Among the Dictionaries of Arts and Sciences which have been published, of late years, in various parts of Europe, it is matter of surprise that Philosophy and Mathematics should have been so far overlooked as not to be thought worthy of a separate Treatise, in this form. These sciences constitute a large portion of the present stock of human knowledge, and have been usually considered as possessing a degree of importance to which few others are entitled; and yet we have hitherto had no distinct Lexicon, in which their constituent parts and technical terms have been explained, with that amplitude and precision, which the great improvements of the Moderns, as well as the rising dignity of the Subject, seem to demand. The only works of this kind in the English language, deserving of notice, are Harris's Lexicon Technicum, and Stone's Mathematical Dictionary; the former of which, though a valuable performance at the time it was written, is now become too dry and obsolete to be referred to with pleasure or satisfaction: and the latter, consisting only of one volume in 8vo, must be regarded merely as an unfinished sketch, or brief compendium, extremely limited in its plan, and necessarily deficient in useful information. It became, therefore, the only resource of the Reader, in many cases where explanation was wanted, to have recourse to Chambers's Dictionary, in four large volumes folio, or to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, now in eighteen large volumes 4to, or the still more stupendous performance of the French Encyclopedists; and even here his expectations might be frequently disappointed. These great and useful works, aiming at a general comprehension of the whole circle of the Sciences, are sometimes very deficient in their descriptions of particular branches; it being almost impossible, in such extensive undertakings, to appreciate, with exactness, the due value of every article. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This book examines how calculus developed in Britain during the century following Newton.