A Quick History of Math: From Counting Cavemen to Computers (Quick Histories)

by Clive Gifford (Author) Michael Young (Illustrator)

A Quick History of Math: From Counting Cavemen to Computers (Quick Histories)
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Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: Quick Histories
cms Common Sense Media Review
Math + history + jokes - boring bits = A Quick History of Math. This book begins around 43,000 years ago with a notched baboon leg, the Lebombo bone (the very first mathematical object in the world) and rushes us past Hindu numerals and the invention of zero, via Pythagoras, Pascal and probability, right up to the present day, with big data and the maths that rules our digital lives. Geometri-cool!
 
You will discover:
  • How to count on your fingers (there are more ways than you might think!)
  • Why we have 60 seconds in a minute (hint: it’s to do with the ancient Babylonians)
  • How to count like an Egyptian (using hieroglyphs)
  • Why it’s hip to be square using square numbers
  • A Pythagorean party trick
  • The naked truth of Archimedes’ bath time mathematics
  • How to do matha-magic with magic squares
  • …and much more.
In chronological order from pre-history to present day, this is the story of maths itself. It’s 43,000 years of human mathematical endeavor squeezed into one book for your reading pleasure. Illustrated with funny cartoons and packed with fascinating facts, you’ll be laughing and learning how to be a better mathematician.
cms Common Sense Media Review
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Irreverent [and] surprisingly amusing.

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Clive Gifford

Clive Gifford started writing books at the age of 16 and hasn't stopped since! He has had over 200 books published, most of which are for children. His books have been nominated for, or won, Royal Society, School Library Association, Blue Peter, Smithsonian and TES awards. Clive lives in Manchester.

Lu Andrade is an illustrator from Ecuador, currently based in the mountains of Quito. She has studied everything from cinematography to graphic design. After focusing on digital animation for four years, she turned her hand to illustration. Her clients include Rebel Girls, Tesalia and Maverick Books.

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780711249035
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Wide Eyed Editions
Publication date
April 20, 2021
Series
Quick Histories
BISAC categories
JNF025020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Ancient
JNF035000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Mathematics | General
Library of Congress categories
History
Mathematics

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