34740 - History of Mathematics

Academic Year 2015/2016

  • Docente: Giorgio Bolondi
  • Credits: 9
  • SSD: MAT/04
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Giorgio Bolondi (Modulo 1) Salvatore Coen (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 1); In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Mathematics (cod. 8208)

Learning outcomes

Historical and epistemological knowledge of the main keypoints of maths

Syntetic vision of the evolution  of maths problems and achievements

Competence in using these knowledges in teaching

Course contents

Module 1 (prof. Coen)

Mathematics in sumerian, babylonese, egyptian civilization: arithmetic and geometry

Pythagoras

Maths in Plato

Euclid's Elements (with a praticular regards to Book V)

 

Module 2 (prof. Bolond)

Chronosyntesis of the history of Mathematics

Some turning points:

Writing Numbers

Algebra in XVI and XVII century (and before): Fibonacci, Luca Pacioli, Cardano, Ferrari, tartaglia, Bombelli, Viéte

The origin of calculus: Fermat, Newton, Leibniz

The origin of Probability: The Bernoullis, Euler, Laplace

The crisis of foundations

Bourbaki

Readings/Bibliography

Material will be given to students during the course

Teaching methods

Classes and laboraties on sources

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Case studies based on documents

Office hours

See the website of Giorgio Bolondi

See the website of Salvatore Coen