Simson on Porisms : an Annotated Translation of Robert Simson's Posthumous Treatise on Porisms and Other Items on this Subject /

Most mathematicians' knowledge of Euclid's lost work on Porisms comes from a very brief and general description by Pappus of Alexandria. While Fermat and others made earlier attempts to explain the Porisms, it is Robert Simson who is generally recognised as the first person to achieve a ge...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tweddle, Ian
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: London : Springer London, 2000.
Series:Sources in the history of mathematics and physical sciences.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:Most mathematicians' knowledge of Euclid's lost work on Porisms comes from a very brief and general description by Pappus of Alexandria. While Fermat and others made earlier attempts to explain the Porisms, it is Robert Simson who is generally recognised as the first person to achieve a genuine insight into the true nature of the subject. In this book, Ian Tweddle, a recognised authority on 18th century Scottish mathematics, presents for the first time a full and accessible translation of Simson's work. Based on Simson's early paper of 1723, the treatise, and various extracts from Simson's notebooks and correspondence, this book provides a fascinating insight into the work of an often-neglected figure. Supplemented by historical and mathematical notes and comments, this book is a valuable addition to the literature for anyone with an interest in mathematical history or geometry.
Item Description:Electronic resource.
Physical Description:1 online resource (x, 274 pages)
ISBN:9781447136736 (electronic bk.)
144713673X (electronic bk.)