Treatise on Conic Sections: Edited in Modern Notation with Introductions, Including an Essay on the Earlier History of the Subject

Apollonius of Perga

Treatise on Conic Sections: Edited in Modern Notation with Introductions, Including an Essay on the Earlier History of the Subject
Format
Paperback
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Country
United Kingdom
Published
21 November 2013
Pages
434
ISBN
9781108062787

Treatise on Conic Sections: Edited in Modern Notation with Introductions, Including an Essay on the Earlier History of the Subject

Apollonius of Perga

Active in Alexandria in the third century BCE, Apollonius of Perga ranks as one of the greatest Greek geometers. Building on foundations laid by Euclid, he is famous for defining the parabola, hyperbola and ellipse in his major treatise on conic sections. The dense nature of its text, however, made it inaccessible to most readers. When it was originally published in 1896 by the civil servant and classical scholar Thomas Little Heath (1861-1940), the present work was the first English translation and, more importantly, the first serious effort to standardise the terminology and notation. Along with clear diagrams, Heath includes a thorough introduction to the work and the history of the subject. Seeing the treatise as more than an esoteric artefact, Heath presents it as a valuable tool for modern mathematicians. His works on Diophantos of Alexandria (1885) and Aristarchus of Samos (1913) are also reissued in this series.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.