MATH 0327 - History of Mathematics

In this course we will explore some major themes in mathematics and their historical development in various civilizations, ranging from the antiquity of Babylonia and Egypt through classical Greece, the Middle and Far East, and on to modern Europe. Students will follow the development of mathematics from early number systems to the invention of calculus, and see how the historical conditions of those civilizations affected and were affected by mathematics.

In this course students will develop the capacity to understand the contemporary world in the larger framework of tradition and history, focus on the problems of interpreting the past and also deal with the relationship between past and present.

Prerequisites: MATH 0106   or permission of instructor