The Pythagorean Theorem

Resumen del libro

By any measure, the Pythagorean theorem is the most famous statement in all of mathematics. In this book, Eli Maor reveals the full story of this ubiquitous geometric theorem. Maor shows that the theorem, although attributed to Pythagoras, was known to the Babylonians more than a thousand years earlier. Pythagoras may have been the first to prove it, but his proof--if indeed he had one--is lost to us. The theorem itself, however, is central to almost every branch of science, pure or applied. Maor brings to life many of the characters that played a role in the development of the Pythagorean theorem, providing a fascinating backdrop to perhaps our oldest enduring mathematical legacy.

Biografía del autor

Experto en historia de las matemáticas. Ha sido profesor de Matemáticas en la Loyola University de Chicago. Es el autor de la entrada sobre trigonometría de la Enciclopedia Británica y ha escrito varios libros; este es el primero que se traduce al español.