The History of Mathematical Tables: From Sumer to Spreadsheets (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780198508410)

The oldest known mathematical table was found in the ancient Sumerian city of Shuruppag in southern Iraq. Since then, tables have been an important feature of mathematical activity and are important precursors to modern computing and information processing. This book contains a series of articles summarizing the history of mathematical tables from earliest times until the late twentieth century. It covers mathematical tables (the most important computing aid for several hundred years until 1960s), data tables (i.e. Census tables), professional tables (ie. Insurance tables), and spreadsheets-the most recent tabular innovation. The book is presented in a scholarly yet accessible way, making appropriate use of text boxes and illustrations. Each chapter has a frontispiece featuring a table along with a small illustration of the source where the table was first displayed. Most chapters have sidebars telling a short "story" or history relating to the chapter. The aim of this edited volume is to capture the history of tables through eleven chapters written by subject specialists. The contributors describe the various information processing techniques and artifacts whose unifying concept is "the mathematical table".

Author: Martin Campbell-Kelly
ISBN-10: 0198508417
ISBN-13: 9780198508410
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Language: English
Published: 12/11/2003
Pages: 372
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.53lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.88d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 05/01/2004 pg. 1685