Mathematics For The Million
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: N/A
Pages: Good
Markings: Previous owner
What if mathematics — long feared as the exclusive domain of genius — was actually a tool forged by ordinary people to solve ordinary problems? Mathematics for the Million by Lancelot Hogben presents a bold and radical reframing of mathematical history, arguing that the great discoveries of arithmetic, geometry, algebra, and calculus were not handed down by abstract thinkers in ivory towers, but driven by the practical demands of navigation, trade, astronomy, and agriculture. Hogben chronicles humanity's mathematical journey from the ancient number systems of Babylon and Egypt through to the calculus of Newton and Leibniz, making each step accessible to the general reader through clear explanation and vivid historical context. The result is a sweeping, democratic vision of mathematics as a living, evolving language — one that belongs to everyone. First published in 1936, this landmark work of popular science cemented Hogben's reputation as one of the great science communicators of the twentieth century, drawing comparisons to H.G. Wells for its ambition and clarity of vision. His prose is precise yet warm, instructional yet never condescending, transforming what might otherwise be dry formulae into gripping intellectual narrative. Decades after its original publication, Mathematics for the Million remains a foundational text for anyone who has ever believed they couldn't do maths — and quietly dares them to think again.
Author: Lancelot Hogben
Format: Hardback
Genre: Mathematics
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: N/A
Pages: Good
Markings: Previous owner
What if mathematics — long feared as the exclusive domain of genius — was actually a tool forged by ordinary people to solve ordinary problems? Mathematics for the Million by Lancelot Hogben presents a bold and radical reframing of mathematical history, arguing that the great discoveries of arithmetic, geometry, algebra, and calculus were not handed down by abstract thinkers in ivory towers, but driven by the practical demands of navigation, trade, astronomy, and agriculture. Hogben chronicles humanity's mathematical journey from the ancient number systems of Babylon and Egypt through to the calculus of Newton and Leibniz, making each step accessible to the general reader through clear explanation and vivid historical context. The result is a sweeping, democratic vision of mathematics as a living, evolving language — one that belongs to everyone. First published in 1936, this landmark work of popular science cemented Hogben's reputation as one of the great science communicators of the twentieth century, drawing comparisons to H.G. Wells for its ambition and clarity of vision. His prose is precise yet warm, instructional yet never condescending, transforming what might otherwise be dry formulae into gripping intellectual narrative. Decades after its original publication, Mathematics for the Million remains a foundational text for anyone who has ever believed they couldn't do maths — and quietly dares them to think again.