Successful long-distance navigation depends on knowing latitude and longitude, and the determination of longitude depends on knowing the exact time at some fixed point on the earth's surface. Since Newton it had been hoped that a method based on accurate prediction of the moon's orbit would give such a time. Building on the work of Euler, Thomas Mayer and others, the astronomer and mathematician Nevil Maskelyne (1732-1811) was able to devise such a method and yearly publication of the Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris placed it in the hands of every ship's captain. First published in 1767 and reissued here in the revised third edition of 1802, the present work provided the necessary tables and instructions. The development of rugged and accurate chronometers eventually displaced Maskelyne's method, but navigators continued to make use of it for many decades. This edition of the tables notably formed part of the library of the Beagle on Darwin's famous voyage.

This contributed volume explores the renaissance of general relativity after World War II, when it transformed from a marginal theory into a cornerstone of modern physics. Chapters explore key historical processes related to the theory of general relativity, in addition to presenting a thorough treatment of the relevant science behind these episodes. A broad historiographical framework is introduced first, thus providing the broad context in which the given computational approaches and case studies occurred. Written by an international and interdisciplinary group of expert authors, these chapters will bring readers to a more complete understanding of Einstein's theory. Specific topics include: Social and citation networks The Fock-Infeld dispute Wheeler's turn to gravitation theory The position of general relativity in theories of fundamental interactions The pursuit of a quantum theory of gravity The emergence of dark matter in relation to cosmological models Institutional frameworks for gravitational wave search in Europe The Renaissance of General Relativity in Context is ideal for historians, philosophers, and sociologists of science. Students and researchers in physics will also be interested in the topics explored.

In 1844, the Prussian schoolmaster Hermann Grassmann (1809-77) published Die Lineale Ausdehnungslehre (also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection). This revolutionary work anticipated the modern theory of vector spaces and exterior algebras. It was little understood at the time and the few sympathetic mathematicians, rather than trying harder to comprehend it, urged Grassmann to write an extended version of his theories. The present work is that version, first published in 1862. However, this also proved too far ahead of its time and Grassmann turned to historical linguistics, in which field his contributions are still remembered. His mathematical work eventually found champions such as Hankel, Peano, Whitehead and Elie Cartan, and it is now recognised for the brilliant achievement that it was in the history of mathematics.

Although not so well known today, Book 4 of Pappus Collection is one of the most important and influential mathematical texts from antiquity. The mathematical vignettes form a portrait of mathematics during the Hellenistic "Golden Age," illustrating central problems for example, squaring the circle; doubling the cube; and trisecting an angle varying solution strategies, and the different mathematical styles within ancient geometry.

This volume provides an English translation of Collection 4, in full, for the first time, including: a new edition of the Greek text, based on a fresh transcription from the main manuscript and offering an alternative to Hultsch 's standard edition, notes to facilitate understanding of the steps in the mathematical argument, a commentary highlighting aspects of the work that have so far been neglected, and supporting the reconstruction of a coherent plan and vision within the work, bibliographical references for further study.

The Greek astronomer and geometrician Apollonius of Perga (c.262-c.190 BCE) produced pioneering written work on conic sections in which he demonstrated mathematically the generation of curves and their fundamental properties. His innovative terminology gave us the terms 'ellipse', 'hyperbola' and 'parabola'. The Danish scholar Johan Ludvig Heiberg (1854-1928), a professor of classical philology at the University of Copenhagen, prepared important editions of works by Euclid, Archimedes and Ptolemy, among others. Published between 1891 and 1893, this two-volume work contains the definitive Greek text of the first four books of Apollonius' treatise together with a facing-page Latin translation. (The fifth, sixth and seventh books survive only in Arabic translation, while the eighth is lost entirely.) Volume 1 contains the first three books, with the editor's introductory matter in Latin.

The Greek astronomer and geometrician Apollonius of Perga (c.262-c.190 BCE) produced pioneering written work on conic sections in which he demonstrated mathematically the generation of curves and their fundamental properties. His innovative terminology gave us the terms 'ellipse', 'hyperbola' and 'parabola'. The Danish scholar Johan Ludvig Heiberg (1854-1928), a professor of classical philology at the University of Copenhagen, prepared important editions of works by Euclid, Archimedes and Ptolemy, among others. Published between 1891 and 1893, this two-volume work contains the definitive Greek text of the first four books of Apollonius' treatise together with a facing-page Latin translation. (The fifth, sixth and seventh books survive only in Arabic translation, while the eighth is lost entirely.) Volume 2 contains the fourth book in addition to other Greek fragments and ancient commentaries, notably that of Eutocius, as well as the editor's Latin prolegomena comparing the various manuscript sources.

This unique volume presents an ecocultural and embodied perspective on understanding numbers and their history in indigenous communities. The book focuses on research carried out in Papua New Guinea and Oceania, and will help educators understand humanity's use of numbers, and their development and change. The authors focus on indigenous mathematics education in the early years and shine light on the unique processes and number systems of non-European styled cultural classrooms. This new perspective for mathematics education challenges educators who have not heard about the history of number outside of Western traditions, and can help them develop a rich cultural competence in their own practice and a new vision of foundational number concepts such as large numbers, groups, and systems. Featured in this invaluable resource are some data and analyses that chief researcher Glendon Angove Lean collected while living in Papua New Guinea before his death in 1995. Among the topics covered: The diversity of counting system cycles, where they were established, and how they may have developed. A detailed exploration of number systems other than base 10 systems including: 2-cycle, 5-cycle, 4- and 6-cycle systems, and body-part tally systems. Research collected from major studies such as Geoff Smith's and Sue Holzknecht's studies of Morobe Province's multiple counting systems, Charly Muke's study of counting in the Wahgi Valley in the Jiwaka Province, and Patricia Paraide's documentation of the number and measurement knowledge of her Tolai community. The implications of viewing early numeracy in the light of this book's research, and ways of catering to diversity in mathematics education. In this volume Kay Owens draws on recent research from diverse fields such as linguistics and archaeology to present their exegesis on the history of number reaching back ten thousand years ago. Researchers and educators interested in the history of mathematical sciences will find History of Number: Evidence from Papua New Guinea and Oceania to be an invaluable resource.

As senior wrangler in 1854, Edward John Routh (1831-1907) was the man who beat James Clerk Maxwell in the Cambridge mathematics tripos. He went on to become a highly successful coach in mathematics at Cambridge, producing a total of twenty-seven senior wranglers during his career - an unrivalled achievement. In addition to his considerable teaching commitments, Routh was also a very able and productive researcher who contributed to the foundations of control theory and to the modern treatment of mechanics. This textbook, first published in 1898, offers extensive coverage of dynamics, providing formulae and examples throughout. While the growth of modern physics and mathematics may have forced out the problem-based mechanics of Routh's textbooks from the undergraduate syllabus, the utility and importance of his work is undiminished.

Originally published in 1925, this book forms part of a three-volume work created to expand upon the content of a series of lectures delivered at the University of Calcutta during the winter of 1909-10. The chief feature of all three volumes is that they deal with rectangular matrices and determinoids as distinguished from square matrices and determinants, the determinoid of a rectangular matrix being related to it in the same way as a determinant is related to a square matrix. An attempt is made to set forth a complete and consistent theory or calculus of rectangular matrices and determinoids. The third volume was originally intended to be divided into two parts, but the second section was never published. The part that made it into print deals chiefly with applications to vector analysis and the theory of invariants.

This biography traces the life and work of Mary Fairfax Somerville, whose extraordinary mathematical talent only came to light through fortuitous circumstances. Barely taught to read and write as a child, all the science she learned and mastered was self taught. In this delightful narrative the author takes up the challenge of discovering how Somerville came to be one of the most outstanding British women scientists and, furthermore, a popular writer. Particular attention is paid to the gender aspects of Somerville's success in what was, to put it mildly, a predominantly male domain.

The German mathematician Karl Weierstrass (1815-97) is generally considered to be the father of modern analysis. His clear eye for what was important is demonstrated by the publication, late in life, of his polynomial approximation theorem; suitably generalised as the Stone-Weierstrass theorem, it became a central tool for twentieth-century analysis. Furthermore, the Weierstrass nowhere-differentiable function is the seed from which springs the entire modern theory of mathematical finance. The best students in Europe came to Berlin to attend his lectures, and his rigorous style still dominates the first analysis course at any university. His seven-volume collected works in the original German contain not only published treatises but also records of many of his famous lecture courses. Edited by Johannes Knoblauch (1855-1915), Volume 5 was published in 1915.

The German mathematician Karl Weierstrass (1815-97) is generally considered to be the father of modern analysis. His clear eye for what was important is demonstrated by the publication, late in life, of his polynomial approximation theorem; suitably generalised as the Stone-Weierstrass theorem, it became a central tool for twentieth-century analysis. Furthermore, the Weierstrass nowhere-differentiable function is the seed from which springs the entire modern theory of mathematical finance. The best students in Europe came to Berlin to attend his lectures, and his rigorous style still dominates the first analysis course at any university. His seven-volume collected works in the original German contain not only published treatises but also records of many of his famous lecture courses. Edited by Rudolf Rothe (1873-1942), Volume 7 was published in 1927.

Originally published in 1918, this book forms part of a three-volume work created to expand upon the content of a series of lectures delivered at the University of Calcutta during the winter of 1909-10. The chief feature of all three volumes is that they deal with rectangular matrices and determinoids as distinguished from square matrices and determinants, the determinoid of a rectangular matrix being related to it in the same way as a determinant is related to a square matrix. An attempt is made to set forth a complete and consistent theory or calculus of rectangular matrices and determinoids. The second volume contains further developments of the general theory, including a discussion of matrix equations of the second degree. It also contains a large number of applications to algebra and to analytical geometry of space of two, three and n dimensions.

Originally published in 1913, this book forms part of a three-volume work created to expand upon the content of a series of lectures delivered at the University of Calcutta during the winter of 1909-10. The chief feature of all three volumes is that they deal with rectangular matrices and determinoids as distinguished from square matrices and determinants, the determinoid of a rectangular matrix being related to it in the same way as a determinant is related to a square matrix. An attempt is made to set forth a complete and consistent theory or calculus of rectangular matrices and determinoids. The first volume contains the most fundamental portions of the theory and concludes with the solution of any system of linear algebraic equations, which is treated as a special case of the solution of a matrix equation of the first degree.

This book presents a detailed description of the development of statistical theory. In the mid twentieth century, the development of mathematical statistics underwent an enduring change, due to the advent of more refined mathematical tools. New concepts like sufficiency, superefficiency, adaptivity etc. motivated scholars to reflect upon the interpretation of mathematical concepts in terms of their real-world relevance. Questions concerning the optimality of estimators, for instance, had remained unanswered for decades, because a meaningful concept of optimality (based on the regularity of the estimators, the representation of their limit distribution and assertions about their concentration by means of Anderson's Theorem) was not yet available. The rapidly developing asymptotic theory provided approximate answers to questions for which non-asymptotic theory had found no satisfying solutions. In four engaging essays, this book presents a detailed description of how the use of mathematical methods stimulated the development of a statistical theory. Primarily focused on methodology, questionable proofs and neglected questions of priority, the book offers an intriguing resource for researchers in theoretical statistics, and can also serve as a textbook for advanced courses in statisticc.

First published in 1961, this book provides information on the methods of treating series of observations, the field covered embraces portions of both statistics and numerical analysis. Originally intended as an introduction to the topic aimed at students and graduates in physics, the types of observation discussed reflect the standard routine work of the time in the physical sciences. The text partly reflects an aim to offer a better balance between theory and practice, reversing the tendency of books on numerical analysis to omit numerical examples illustrating the applications of the methods. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the theoretical development of its field.

Prior to the advent of computers, no mathematician, physicist or engineer could do without a volume of tables of logarithmic and trigonometric functions. These tables made possible certain calculations which would otherwise be impossible. Unfortunately, carelessness and lazy plagiarism meant that the tables often contained serious errors. Those prepared by Charles Hutton (1737 1823) were notable for their reliability and remained the standard for a century. Hutton had risen, by mathematical ability, hard work and some luck, from humble beginnings to become a professor of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy. His mathematical work was distinguished by utility rather than originality, but his contributions to the teaching of the subject were substantial. This seventh edition was published in 1858 with additional material by Olinthus Gregory (1774 1841). The preliminary matter will be of interest to any modern-day reader who wishes to know how calculation was done before the electronic computer.

This a history of the use of Bayes' theorem over 150 years, from its discovery by Thomas Bayes to the rise of the statistical competitors in the first third of the twentieth century. In the new edition, the author's concern is the foundations of statistics, in particular, the examination of the development of one of the fundamental aspects of Bayesian statistics. The reader will find new sections on contributors to the theory omitted from the first edition, which will shed light on the use of inverse probability by nineteenth century authors. In addition, there is amplified discussion of relevant work from the first edition. This text will be a valuable reference source in the wider field of the history of statistics and probability.

This lively collection of essays examines in witty detail the history of some of the concepts involved in bringing statistical argument "to the table," and some of the pitfalls that have been encountered. The topics range from seventeenth-century medicine and the circulation of blood, to the cause of the Great Depression and the effect of the California gold discoveries of 1848 upon price levels, to the determinations of the shape of the Earth and the speed of light, to the meter of Virgil's poetry and the prediction of the Second Coming of Christ. The title essay tells how the statistician Karl Pearson came to issue the challenge to put "statistics on the table" to the economists Marshall, Keynes, and Pigou in 1911. The 1911 dispute involved the effect of parental alcoholism upon children, but the challenge is general and timeless: important arguments require evidence, and quantitative evidence requires statistical evaluation. Some essays examine deep and subtle statistical ideas such as the aggregation and regression paradoxes; others tell of the origin of the Average Man and the evaluation of fingerprints as a forerunner of the use of DNA in forensic science. Several of the essays are entirely nontechnical; all examine statistical ideas with an ironic eye for their essence and what their history can tell us about current disputes.

A sweeping exploration of the development and far-reaching applications of harmonic analysis such as signal processing, digital music, Fourier optics, radio astronomy, crystallography, medical imaging, spectroscopy, and more. Featuring a wealth of illustrations, examples, and material not found in other harmonic analysis books, this unique monograph skillfully blends together historical narrative with scientific exposition to create a comprehensive yet accessible work. While only an understanding of calculus is required to appreciate it, there are more technical sections that will charm even specialists in harmonic analysis. From undergraduates to professional scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, there is something for everyone here. The second edition of The Evolution of Applied Harmonic Analysis contains a new chapter on atmospheric physics and climate change, making it more relevant for today's audience. Praise for the first edition: "...can be thoroughly recommended to any reader who is curious about the physical world and the intellectual underpinnings that have lead to our expanding understanding of our physical environment and to our halting steps to control it. Everyone who uses instruments that are based on harmonic analysis will benefit from the clear verbal descriptions that are supplied." - R.N. Bracewell, Stanford University "The book under review is a unique and splendid telling of the triumphs of the fast Fourier transform. I can recommend it unconditionally... Elena Prestini... has taken one major mathematical idea, that of Fourier analysis, and chased down and described a half dozen varied areas in which Fourier analysis and the FFT are now in place. Her book is much to be applauded." - Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics "This is not simply a book about mathematics, or even the history of mathematics; it is a story about how the discipline has been applied (to borrow Fourier's expression) to 'the public good and the explanation of natural phenomena.' ... This book constitutes a significant addition to the library of popular mathematical works, and a valuable resource for students of mathematics." - Mathematical Association of America Reviews

The present volume provides a fascinating overview of geometrical ideas and perceptions from the earliest cultures to the mathematical and artistic concepts of the 20th century. It is the English translation of the 3rd edition of the well-received German book "5000 Jahre Geometrie," in which geometry is presented as a chain of developments in cultural history and their interaction with architecture, the visual arts, philosophy, science and engineering. Geometry originated in the ancient cultures along the Indus and Nile Rivers and in Mesopotamia, experiencing its first "Golden Age" in Ancient Greece. Inspired by the Greek mathematics, a new germ of geometry blossomed in the Islamic civilizations. Through the Oriental influence on Spain, this knowledge later spread to Western Europe. Here, as part of the medieval Quadrivium, the understanding of geometry was deepened, leading to a revival during the Renaissance. Together with parallel achievements in India, China, Japan and the ancient American cultures, the European approaches formed the ideas and branches of geometry we know in the modern age: coordinate methods, analytical geometry, descriptive and projective geometry in the 17th an 18th centuries, axiom systems, geometry as a theory with multiple structures and geometry in computer sciences in the 19th and 20th centuries. Each chapter of the book starts with a table of key historical and cultural dates and ends with a summary of essential contents of geometr y in the respective era. Compelling examples invite the reader to further explore the problems of geometry in ancient and modern times. The book will appeal to mathematicians interested in Geometry and to all readers with an interest in cultural history. From letters to the authors for the German language edition I hope it gets a translation, as there is no comparable work. Prof. J. Grattan-Guinness (Middlesex University London) "Five Thousand Years of Geometry" - I think it is the most handsome book I have ever seen from Springer and the inclusion of so many color plates really improves its appearance dramatically! Prof. J.W. Dauben (City University of New York) An excellent book in every respect. The authors have successfully combined the history of geometry with the general development of culture and history. ... The graphic design is also excellent. Prof. Z. Nadenik (Czech Technical University in Prague)

This book documents the process of transformation from natural philosophy, which was considered the most important of the sciences until the early modern era, into modern disciplines such as mathematics, physics, natural history, chemistry, medicine and engineering. It focuses on the 18th century, which has often been considered uninteresting for the history of science, representing the transition from the age of genius and the birth of modern science (the 17th century) to the age of prodigious development in the 19th century. Yet the 18th century, the century of Enlightenment, as will be demonstrated here, was in fact characterized by substantial ferment and novelty. To make the text more accessible, little emphasis has been placed on the precise genesis of the various concepts and methods developed in scientific enterprises, except when doing so was necessary to make them clear. For the sake of simplicity, in several situations reference is made to the authors who are famous today, such as Newton, the Bernoullis, Euler, d'Alembert, Lagrange, Lambert, Volta et al. - not necessarily because they were the most creative and original minds, but mainly because their writings represent a synthesis of contemporary and past studies. The above names should, therefore, be considered more labels of a period than references to real historical characters.

First published in 1931, this book is the second edition of a 1917 original. The text provides an account of the method of least squares, aiming to obtain the best interpretation of the results of experiment without consideration of the way in which these results are obtained. Elaborate descriptions of instruments and experimental methods are avoided, allowing for a concise and economical account that concentrates on key elements of the subject. This is a detailed and well-organized book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in least squares and the development of mathematics.

This book offers a unique account on the life and works of Srinivasa Ramanujan-often hailed as the greatest "natural" mathematical genius. Sharing valuable insights into the many stages of Ramanujan's life, this book provides glimpses into his prolific research on highly composite numbers, partitions, continued fractions, mock theta functions, arithmetic, and hypergeometric functions which led the author to discover a new summation theorem. It also includes the list of Ramanujan's collected papers, letters and other material present at the Wren Library, Trinity College in Cambridge, UK. This book is a valuable resource for all readers interested in Ramanujan's life, work and indelible contributions to mathematics.

In this innovative and groundbreaking work, the structure and evolution of scientific theories is examined in meticulous detail and rigorously analysed as never before. For the first time, scientific revolutions are presented as a natural consequence of the evolution of scientific theories and described with mathematical precision. Many new techniques are introduced and with the more precise understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise obtained thereby, old philosophical problems are cast into a new light and shown to be susceptible to the same rigorous approach by which they may be completely solved. Numerous real examples from the sciences are given and discussed in detail, culminating in some startling results concerning the future development of science and that Holy Grail of physics, the possibility of a final, all-embracing Theory of Everything. Written in an eloquent and engaging style interspersed with occasional flashes of delicious humour, this book is destined to become a classic in the Philosophy of Science. It will doubtless be appreciated equally by philosophers and scientists alike as well as a wider, less specialised audience. Truly an important document and a major contribution to the literature; this is a work for the twenty-first century.