Number Stories of Long Ago

by David Eugene Smith

Come sit around the camp fire as The Storyteller teaches the Tease and the rest of the crowd stories of long ago, of a time before numbers, and how the people of yester-year learned to count. Over several nights the Crowd looks throught the flames and is transported back to the world of An-am who could count to three, of Ching who wrote on palm leaves, and Lugal on his bricks. We see how Caius added with pebbles, how Robert wrote numbers with counters, how Cuthbert learned to multiply and Adriaen learned to divide. Number Stories of Long Ago is a wonderful living book that brings the story of how mathematics developed come to life for even the most math resistant student. This edition is fully transcribed for easy reading, complete and unabridged with all the original images. Each chapter features a 'question box' to extend the student's thinking, and the final few chapters feature a plethora of fun math questions that have puzzled students over the ages.

Genres: Mathematics, School, History, Childrens

148 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

David Eugene Smith was an American mathematician, educator, and editor.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a mathematician, and I have trouble following the number-puzzles at the end. But this book was delightful, nevertheless. I enjoyed learning about early systems of writing numbers and the development of the number system we currently use. It's much more recent than I had realized! Little bite-sized chapters told in children's story form make this book easy to read. Not scholarly, but fun.

[Mariah Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book we read in morning time!

Following boys from around the world, you learn how they came to know math: learn to write numbers, add, multiply, etc. There are many illustrations, perfect for Book of Century entries.

The last few chapters are full of number puzzles we enjoyed working through—even if we did get many of them wrong! 🤣

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun presentation about the progression of mathematical thought and discovery, but in a challenging way that makes you think. The last two pages are all a quick succession of number puzzles told in story form. My particular edition of this book came with an insert that gives the answers to the puzzles, but those answers are not at all in the main text. If you have a child that loves to work out number puzzles, this is a great book for them.

[Alex N]

a bit confusing but good book and interesting puzzles