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Review of Mathematical Expeditions: Exploring Word Problems across the Ages
A collection of problems that should be of interest and use to teachers at all levels Read more
Review of A Remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts
Our reviewer finds this collection of translations of Babylonian mathematical tablets to be both fascinating and accessible. Read more
Review of Mathematics Emerging: A Sourcebook 1540-1900
Our reviewer praises the selection of excerpts, the use of facsimiles rather than transcriptions, and the commentary and English translation in this collection. Read more
Review of The Man of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution
Author Keith Devlin argues that the impact of the Pisan merchant and his Arabic numbers on medieval Europe was even greater than previously thought. Read more
Problem from another time...
Tree and Vine
A tree is 20 feet tall and has a circumference of 3 feet. There is a vine that winds seven equally spaced times around the tree and reaches the top. What is the length of the vine?
See whole problem
Loci: Convergence
Welcome to Convergence! This section of Loci offers a wealth of resources to help you teach mathematics using its history. Please check back regularly for new articles, browse our archived articles in What's in Convergence? (Tables of Contents), and visit our just completed feature, Who's That Mathematician? The Paul R. Halmos Photograph Collection. Make MAA Loci: Convergence your source for mathematics history and its use in teaching!
Convergence editors: Janet Beery, Kathy Clark
Convergence founding editors: Victor Katz, Frank Swetz
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| May 23rd | |
| 1576 | Tycho Brahe given use of the ... |
| 1606 | Juan Caramuel y Lobkowitz bor... |
| 1887 | Number theorist and logician ... |
| 1857 | Cauchy died near Paris. Famou... |
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Meetings & events involving the History of Mathematics
Today's Quotation
As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.
Manfred Schroeder, Fractals, Chaos, Power Laws 1991
Mathematical Treasures
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'He Advanced Him 200 Lambs of Gold': The Pamiers ManuscriptDiscussion of 15th century French manuscript, with translation of its problems, including one with negative solutions |
An Analysis of the First Proofs of the Heine-Borel TheoremA comparison of circa 1900 proofs of the famous theorem with a view toward improving student understanding of compactness |
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Georg Cantor at the Dawn of Point-Set TopologyCantor's work on Fourier series provides historical motivation for the study of point-set topology. |
Learning Geometry in Georgian EnglandThe copybooks of two young men reveal very different purposes in learning geometry. |
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When a Number System Loses Uniqueness: The Case of the MayaConsidering non-unique representation of Maya calendar numbers may help your students understand their own number system better. |
Teaching the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus: A Historical ReflectionAn argument that the teaching of elementary integration should better reflect its historical development |
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Servois' 1813 Perpetual Calendar, with an English TranslationAn image of the calendar, together with instructions for its use |
The Best Known Old Babylonian Tablet?Use this image of a second millennium BCE clay tablet to review geometry and fractions with your students. |
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Who's That Mathematician? Images from the Paul R. Halmos Photograph CollectionWe invite you to send us information about photographs of mathematicians taken by Paul Halmos (1916-2006). |
Mathematical TreasuresA collection of images from the George Arthur Plimpton and David Eugene Smith Collections of Mathematical Materials in the Columbia University Library. |
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Teaching and Research with Original Sources from the Euler ArchiveHow faculty and students can use and contribute to the MAA Euler Archive! |
What's in Convergence?What's in Convergence? Here are all articles, classroom activities, announcements, and reviews arranged into annual volumes starting with 2004. |
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