| 释义 |
history of mathematics The history of mathematics is a rich area of study. Its topics include the origins of theory (e.g. the long development of calculus), influences on mathematicians' thinking, and the varying emphases at different times (e.g. the rise of abstraction), often linking with the philosophy of mathematics. An appreciation of the history of mathematics helps contextualize its results and makes clearer the benefits of stronger theorems and different emphases. It also shows the colossal human endeavour that has been involved and how current appreciation of some relatively straightforward topics (e.g. complex numbers, limits) was often generations in the making. For a brief historical timeline of a selection of significant results, see appendix 24.
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