University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Greek Number Systems
A comprehensive discussion of Greek number systems of the first millennium BC, including acrophonic and alphabetical. Includes examples demonstrating the lack of a truly unified system among the Greek islands.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Arabic Mathematics: Forgotten Brilliance?
The University of St. Andrews offers a fascinating look at the advances made by Arabic/Islamic mathematicians from about 780 AD to 1450 AD, only more recently being appreciated for their beauty and originality. Includes embedded links to...
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: An Overview of Babylonian Mathematics
Information and examples of how the base 60 number system of the Babylonians worked in calculating problems similar to those we face today. Has a section comparing Pythagoras's theorem to Babylonian math.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: An Overview of Egyptian Mathematics
This site presents a detailed overview of Egyptian mathematics, focusing on the arithmetical methods which they devised to work with their numerals.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Johann Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet
A biography of Dirichlet's personal life and on his mathematical findings, mainly in calculus and number theory.
Other
Ancient Greek Philosophy: Zeno of Elea
Describes the little that is known of Zeno of Elea's life. Also discusses his denial of motion and plurality hypothesis. He explained his ideas using paradoxes that continue to challenge intellectual minds today, and that have had a big...
Science Struck
Science Struck: Father of Calculus Newton or Leibniz?
Discusses the continuing debate over who was the founder of calculus, Sir Isaac Newton or Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Teaching Math & Science in Age of Sputnik
Why did the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik throw the fields of mathematics and science into tremendous demand in the United States? Find the many ways this revolutionary event impacted children from the 1950s to become the...
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Mathematics History Overview
The University of St. Andrews allows you to link to many famous mathematicians and mathematical events from Babylonian mathematics in 2000 B.C. to mathematical discoveries in the 20th Century.
New York University
Institute for the Study of the Ancient World: Before Pythagoras
Exhibition of cuneiform tablets dating from 1900 B.C. demonstrates the mathematical knowledge of the ancient Mesopotamians.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Trigonometric Functions
This site from the University of Saint Andrews provides an historical look at the origins of trig functions. This site ties together mathematics and history from Hipparchus to Ptolemy to Lambert.
Trinity College Dublin
Mathematicians of the Seventeenth & Eighteenth Centuries
Read accounts of the lives and works of seventeenth and eighteenth century mathematicians, including Sir Isaac Newton and Rene Descartes.
Other
Frieze Patterns: Mathematics and the Liberal Arts
Provides a listing of books that are useful in research on this topic.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: James Clerk Maxwell
Research resources for James Maxwell (1831-1879), who did revolutionary work on electricity and magnetism and on the kinetic theory of gases.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Mathematics Archive: John Wallis
This page provides an excellent biography of John Wallis, an English clergyman, mathematician, and philosopher. Discusses his childhood, education, travel, studies, and his contributions to the fields of philosophy, language, and...
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Pierre De Fermat
This site, which is provided for by the University of St. Andrews, gives biographical information on mathematician Pierre de Fermat.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Leonhard Euler
Biography of mathematician Leohnard Euler, who introduced the concept of beta and gamma functions.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Thomas Bayes
Biographical information on Thomas Bayes, mathematician who worked on the theory of probability.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Christoff Rudolff
This site from the University of St. Andrews provides biographical information about mathematician Christoff Rudolff, author of the first book about algebra in German.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Rafael Bombelli
Bombelli's contributions to mathematics were mainly in algebra. He was the first to figure the multiplication of negative integers.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: A Time Line of Mathematicians
From the Greek Period to the 20th Century, the University of St. Andrews provide a time line of famous mathematicians. Time periods are separated into individual time lines.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Thomas Young
A short biographical sketch of Thomas Young's (1863- 1942) life as a mathematician and a scientist. Gives an account of his birth and the final years of his life.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Lissajous Curves
Gives a brief history and lists the parametric cartesian equations.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: George Dantzig
This site, which is provided for by the University of St. Andrews, gives a biography of mathematician George Dantzig, the man that introduced the concept of linear programming.