Enlightening Symbols

"This book provides an insightful synthesis of the historical and mental revolutions that created humanity's most useful symbols--mathematical expressions."--Stanislas Dehaene, author of "Reading in the Brain" "Mathematical symbols are much more than squiggles on paper--they serve as potent sources of insight into a wonderfully complex language. In this book, Joseph Mazur takes us on a fascinating journey into the origins of these symbols. You cannot ask for a better guide."--Mario Livio, astrophysicist and author of "Brilliant Blunders" "Joseph Mazur teaches us that the history of mathematical notation is the history of human civilization."--Kenneth A. Ribet, University of California, Berkeley "In this thoughtful, entertaining, and carefully researched book, Mazur lays out the development of the mathematical notations and symbols that we take for granted. He offers a fascinating look at the history of the conventions of writing mathematical ideas, and shows how important our choice of conventions has been for the growth of mathematical knowledge."--Emily R. Grosholz, author of "Representation and Productive Ambiguity in Mathematics and the Sciences" "Worldwide, mathematicians speak a common symbolic language. Mazur traces how symbols developed and gradually took hold, uniting arithmetic, algebra, and geometry to give us metaphors as powerful as those of poems. A fascinating history!"--Philip Holmes, coauthor of "Celestial Encounters" "A curiosity cabinet of mathematical gems, curated by Joseph Mazur's cosmopolitan good taste."--Siobhan Roberts, author of "Wind Wizard" ""Enlightening Symbols" explains the origins of symbols used in mathematics. But this fun book is so much more than this. Filled with interesting stories, captivating material, and delightful observations, it offers readers a better understanding of the nature of mathematics and a wonderful overview of mathematical history."--Dominic Klyve, Central Washington University "An enjoyable and informative tour of mathematics history, "Enlightening Symbols" describes how our modern system of notation led to the abstraction we work with today. This is an important and interesting story."--Anna Pierrehumbert, Trinity School