Arithmetica

by Diophantus, Claude Gaspard Bachet de Méziriac (Translator)

Des treize livres d' Arithmetiques de Diophante, il n'en reste que dix, dont quatre en arabe. La redecouverte des textes en arabe bouleversa la connaissance de l'oeuvre de l'auteur, et participe a la connaissance de la contribution de Diophante au savoir mathematique. Ce troisieme volume reprend le texte du livre IV en arabe, et en propose deux interpretations, l'une du point de vue de l'algebre du temps des premiers commentateurs, et l'autre, de celui de la geometrie algebrique.

Genres: Mathematics, Ancient, Science

First published January 1, 250

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, enjoyable read. I feel I am sufficiently knowledgeable about the properties of quadratic relations. I feel as if, however, the wikipedia page, which states this contains both indeterminate and determinate equations might be slightly misleading, because I never encountered a definitively determinate equation. I'm going to do a re-read just to make sure, but if there ever was a determinate equation, it would have been in Book IV, but only vaguely (not strictly defined or referred to)

[Christopher Byram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this book when it was referenced in a document entitled 'Background Reading' as part of an online course with Stanford University I am currently taking, entitled 'Introduction to Mathematical Thinking'. The leader of the course and author of the 'Background Reading' document, Dr. Keith Devlin, mentions in the document that the earliest appearance of algebraic notation seems to have been in the work of Diophantus, who lived in Alexandria sometime around 250CE. His thirteen-volume treatise, 'Arithmetica', of which only six (6) volumes have survived, is generally regarded as the first algebra textbook. Diophantus used symbols to denote the unknown, and he also used symbols for subtraction and for equality. Contemporary mathematical books contain many symmbols, but mathematical notation is no more mathematics than musical notation is music. Notation is merely representation of the thing itself; of its abstract nature.

[Tuan Vu · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arithmetica
by Diophantus