Jost Bürgi's Aritmetische und Geometrische Progreß Tabulen (1620)

Jost Bürgi's Aritmetische und Geometrische Progreß Tabulen (1620) PDF

Author: Kathleen Clark

Publisher: Birkhäuser

Published: 2015-12-28

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 149393161X

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This monograph presents a groundbreaking scholarly treatment of the German mathematician Jost Bürgi’s original work on logarithms, Arithmetische und Geometrische Progreß Tabulen. It provides the first-ever English translation of Bürgi’s text and illuminates his role in the development of the conception of logarithms, for which John Napier is traditionally given priority. High-resolution scans of each page of the his handwritten text are reproduced for the reader and as a means of preserving an important work for which there are very few surviving copies. The book begins with a brief biography of Bürgi to familiarize readers with his life and work, as well as to offer an historical context in which to explore his contributions. The second chapter then describes the extant copies of the Arithmetische und Geometrische Progreß Tabulen, with a detailed description of the copy that is the focus of this book, the 1620 “Graz manuscript”. A complete facsimile of the text is included in the next chapter, along with a corresponding transcription and an English translation; a transcription of a second version of the manuscript (the “Gdansk manuscript”) is included alongside that of the Graz edition so that readers can easily and closely examine the differences between the two. The final chapter considers two important questions about Bürgi’s work, such as who was the copyist of the Graz manuscript and what the relationship is between the Graz and Gdansk versions. Appendices are also included that contain a timeline of Bürgi’s life, the underlying concept of Napier’s construction of logarithms, and scans of all 58 sheets of the tables from Bürgi’s text. Anyone with an appreciation for the history of mathematics will find this book to be an insightful and interesting look at an important and often overlooked work. It will also be a valuable resource for undergraduates taking courses in the history of mathematics, researchers of the history of mathematics, and professors of mathematics education who wish to incorporate historical context into their teaching.

Companion Encyclopedia of the History and Philosophy of the Mathematical Sciences

Companion Encyclopedia of the History and Philosophy of the Mathematical Sciences PDF

Author: Ivor Grattan-Guinness

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2002-09-11

Total Pages: 1796

ISBN-13: 1134957505

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* Examines the history and philosophy of the mathematical sciences in a cultural context, tracing their evolution from ancient times up to the twentieth century * 176 articles contributed by authors of 18 nationalities * Chronological table of main events in the development of mathematics * Fully integrated index of people, events and topics * Annotated bibliographies of both classic and contemporary sources * Unique coverage of Ancient and non-Western traditions of mathematics

The Daring Invention of Logarithm Tables

The Daring Invention of Logarithm Tables PDF

Author: Klaus Truemper

Publisher:

Published: 2020-09-16

Total Pages: 139

ISBN-13: 9780999140208

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In the early 17th century, both Jost Bürgi and John Napier dared to invent a logarithm table whose construction required tens of thousands of computing steps. These tables reduced computing effort for multiplication and division by an order of magnitude. Indeed, their invention launched a computing revolution that continues to this day. The book tells the story of Bürgi's and Napier's work, and how Henry Briggs built on Napier's idea, creating a table of logarithms that was easier to use. John Napier and Henry Briggs described their methods in detail; distribution of their results was widespread. In contrast, Jost Bürgi did not leave detailed records of his work. Just a few copies of his table and terse handwritten instructions for its use have survived. To fill this gap, the book reconstructs Bürgi's thinking leading up to his table. The reader looks over his shoulder, so to speak, and learns how Bürgi came upon the idea, how he decided on the specific format of the table, and how his instructions should be interpreted. And so the reader experiences the magic of the invention of logarithms. The final chapters examine the question "Who invented logarithms?". For centuries, few people were aware of Bürgi's work; John Napier was considered to be the sole inventor. This changed at the middle of the 19th century when Jost Bürgi's work became more widely known. Since then there has been extensive debate whether Bürgi should be considered an independent co-inventor. Careful parsing of the history of logarithm going back to Archimedes of antiquity then reveals that, without doubt, John Napier and Jost Bürgi are independent co-inventors of logarithms.

Dictionary of German Biography (DGB)

Dictionary of German Biography (DGB) PDF

Author: Walther Killy

Publisher: K.G. Saur Verlag

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 764

ISBN-13:

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The "Dictionary of German National Biography" is unique, complete and comprehensive with biographies of 60,000 people from the German-speaking world. It covers not only individuals from Germany but also from Austria, Switzerland and other countries where German is or used to be spoken. Coverage stretches all the way from the time of Charlemagne to the present day and includes lesser-known as well as world-famous Germans. In order to ensure that entries were as objective as possible, only individuals whose life and works have come to an end were included.

John Napier

John Napier PDF

Author: Julian Havil

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2014-10-05

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 1400852188

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The most comprehensive account of the mathematician's life and work John Napier (1550–1617) is celebrated today as the man who invented logarithms—an enormous intellectual achievement that would soon lead to the development of their mechanical equivalent in the slide rule: the two would serve humanity as the principal means of calculation until the mid-1970s. Yet, despite Napier's pioneering efforts, his life and work have not attracted detailed modern scrutiny. John Napier is the first contemporary biography to take an in-depth look at the multiple facets of Napier’s story: his privileged position as the eighth Laird of Merchiston and the son of influential Scottish landowners; his reputation as a magician who dabbled in alchemy; his interest in agriculture; his involvement with a notorious outlaw; his staunch anti-Catholic beliefs; his interactions with such peers as Henry Briggs, Johannes Kepler, and Tycho Brahe; and, most notably, his estimable mathematical legacy. Julian Havil explores Napier’s original development of logarithms, the motivations for his approach, and the reasons behind certain adjustments to them. Napier’s inventive mathematical ideas also include formulas for solving spherical triangles, "Napier’s Bones" (a more basic but extremely popular alternative device for calculation), and the use of decimal notation for fractions and binary arithmetic. Havil also considers Napier’s study of the Book of Revelation, which led to his prediction of the Apocalypse in his first book, A Plaine Discovery of the Whole Revelation of St. John—the work for which Napier believed he would be most remembered. John Napier assesses one man’s life and the lasting influence of his advancements on the mathematical sciences and beyond.

John Napier and the Invention of Logarithms, 1614

John Napier and the Invention of Logarithms, 1614 PDF

Author: E. W. Hobson

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-03-29

Total Pages: 53

ISBN-13: 1107624509

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Originally published in 1914, this volume was created to mark the tercentenary of John Napier's Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio. Written by the prominent English mathematician Ernest William Hobson, the text provides a highly readable introduction to the theory of logarithms and puts their discovery within a historical context. Illustrations are also included. This is a concise and accessible book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in logarithms and the history of mathematics.

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