An entertaining look at the origins of mathematical symbols While all of us regularly use basic math symbols such as those for plus, minus, and equals, few of us know that many of these symbols weren't available before the sixteenth century. What did mathematicians rely on for their work before then? And how did mathematical notations evolve into what we know today? In Enlightening Symbols, popular math writer Joseph Mazur explains the fascinating history behind the development of our mathematical notation system. He shows how symbols were used initially, how one symbol replaced another over time, and how written math was conveyed before and after symbols became widely adopted. Traversing mathematical history and the foundations of numerals in different cultures, Mazur looks at how historians have disagreed over the origins of the numerical system for the past two centuries. He follows the transfigurations of algebra from a rhetorical style to a symbolic one, demonstrating that most algebra before the sixteenth century was written in prose or in verse employing the written names of numerals. Mazur also investigates the subconscious and psychological effects that mathematical symbols have had on mathematical thought, moods, meaning, communication, and comprehension. He considers how these symbols influence us (through similarity, association, identity, resemblance, and repeated imagery), how they lead to new ideas by subconscious associations, how they make connections between experience and the unknown, and how they contribute to the communication of basic mathematics. From words to abbreviations to symbols, this book shows how math evolved to the familiar forms we use today.

Conceived in the aftermath of the American Civil War and the grief that swept France over the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty has been a potent symbol of the nation's highest ideals since it was unveiled in 1886. Dramatically situated on Bedloe's Island (now Liberty Island) in the harbor of New York City, the statue has served as a reminder for generations of immigrants of America's long tradition as an asylum for the poor and the persecuted. Although it is among the most famous sculptures in the world, the story of its creation is little known. In Enlightening the World, Yasmin Sabina Khan provides a fascinating new account of the design of the statue and the lives of the people who created it, along with the tumultuous events in France and the United States that influenced them. Khan's narrative begins on the battlefields of Gettysburg, where Lincoln framed the Civil War as a conflict testing whether a nation "conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal... can long endure." People around the world agreed with Lincoln that this question—and the fate of the Union itself—affected the "whole family of man." Inspired by the Union's victory and stunned by Lincoln's death, Édouard-René Lefebvre de Laboulaye, a legal scholar and noted proponent of friendship between his native France and the United States, conceived of a monument to liberty and the exemplary form of government established by the young nation. For Laboulaye and all of France, the statue would be called La Liberté Éclairant le Monde—Liberty Enlightening the World. Following the statue's twenty-year journey from concept to construction, Khan reveals in brilliant detail the intersecting lives that led to the realization of Laboulaye's dream: the Marquis de Lafayette; Alexis de Tocqueville; the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, whose commitment to liberty and self-government was heightened by his experience of the Franco-Prussian War; the architect Richard Morris Hunt, the first American to study architecture at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris; and the engineer Gustave Eiffel, who pushed the limits for large-scale metal construction. Also here are the contributions of such figures as Senators Charles Sumner and Carl Schurz, the artist John La Farge, the poet Emma Lazarus, and the publisher Joseph Pulitzer. While exploring the creation of the statue, Khan points to possible sources—several previously unexamined—for the design. She links the statue's crown of rays with Benjamin Franklin's image of the rising sun and makes a clear connection between the broken chain under Lady Liberty's foot and the abolition of slavery. Through the rich story of this remarkable national monument, Enlightening the World celebrates both a work of human accomplishment and the vitality of liberty.

This classic study notes the origin of a mathematical symbol, the competition it encountered, its spread among writers in different countries, its rise to popularity, and its eventual decline or ultimate survival. 1929 edition.

Ever wonder if there's a reference guide out there summarizing most of the symbols used in mathematics, along with contextual examples and LaTeX code so that you can pick up the various topics of mathematics at an unusual speed? Well now there is! In this jam-packed 75-page eBook, the Comprehensive List of Mathematical Symbols will take you through thousands of symbols in 10+ topics and 6 main categories. Each symbol also comes with their own defining examples, LaTeX codes and links to additional resources, making the eBook both a handy reference and a powerful tool for consolidating one's foundation of mathematics. Highlights - Featuring 1000+ of symbols from basic math, algebra, logic, set theory to calculus, analysis, probability and statistics - Comes with LaTeX code, defining contextual examples and links to additional resources - Clear. Concise. Straight-to-the-point with no fluff. - Informative. Engaging. Excellent for shortening the learning/reviewing curve. Table of Contents 1) Constants Key Mathematical Numbers Key Mathematical Sets Key Mathematical Infinities Other Key Mathematical Objects 2) Variables Variables for Numbers Variables in Geometry Variables in Logic Variables in Set Theory Variables in Linear/Abstract Algebra Variables in Probability and Statistics Variables in Calculus 3) Delimiters Common Delimiters Other Delimiters 4) Alphabet Letters Greek Letters Used in Mathematics Other Greek Letters 5) Operators Common Operators Number-related Operators Common Number-based Operators Complex-number-based Operators Function-related Operators Common Function-based Operators Elementary Functions Key Calculus-related Functions and Transforms Other Key Functions Operators in Geometry Operators in Logic Logical Connectives Quantifiers Substitution/Valuation-based Operators Set-related Operators Operators in Algebra Vector-related Operators Matrix-related Operators Vector-space-related Operators Abstract-algebra-related Operators Operators in Probability and Statistics Combinatorial Operators Probability-related Operators Probability-related Functions Discrete Probability Distributions Continuous Probability Distributions and Associated Functions Statistical Operators Operators in Calculus Operators Related to Sequence, Series and Limit Derivative-based Operators Integral-based Operators 6) Relational Symbols Equality-based Relational Symbols Comparison-based Relational Symbols Number-related Relational Symbols Relational Symbols in Geometry Relational Symbols in Logic Set-related Relational Symbols Relational Symbols in Abstract Algebra Relational Symbols in Probability and Statistics Relational Symbols in Calculus 7) Notational Symbols Common Notational Symbols Intervals Notational Symbols in Geometry and Trigonometry Notational Symbols in Probability and Statistics Notational Symbols in Calculus

Albert Churchward's famous study of Ancient Egyptian myths and symbology reveals how their mythological culture evolved over thousands of years, influencing other civilizations. The author was among the first Western scholars to investigate the connection between the religious symbols, deities and traditions of Egypt, and those which emerged in later societies. By studying the hieroglyphic texts preserved in the monuments and papyrus of the Egyptian society, Churchward uncovered the origins of legendary stories, the roles of Gods like Horus and Ptah, and the emergence of important symbols such as the triangle, cross and swastika. The religious and cultural influence of this ancient society, whose dynasties stretched across millennia, is revealed to be of staggering magnitude. This book pieces together the connections between Egyptian lore and that of the Hebrews, the Freemasons, the Mayans and various tribal societies. The depth of Churchward's enquiry is enormous; hundreds of drawings, symbols, and photographs accompany the narrative, that the reader may discover the myriad connections and wide-ranging influence of the Egyptians from antiquity onward. Frequent quotations and cites of accomplished workers in the field of Egyptology, such as Dr. Wallis Budge and Gerald Massey, further support the points established.

The enso, or "Zen circle", is one of the most prevalent images of Zen art, and has become a symbol of the clean and strong Zen aesthetic. This books containts examples of traditional enso art from the seventeenth century to the present.