Series and Products in the Development of Mathematics: Volume 1

Description

This is the first volume of a two-volume work that traces the development of series and products from 1380 to 2000 by presenting and explaining the interconnected concepts and results of hundreds of unsung as well as celebrated mathematicians. Some chapters deal with the work of primarily one mathematician on a pivotal topic, and other chapters chronicle the progress over time of a given topic. This updated second edition of Sources in the Development of Mathematics adds extensive context, detail, and primary source material, with many sections rewritten to more clearly reveal the significance of key developments and arguments. Volume 1, accessible to even advanced undergraduate students, discusses the development of the methods in series and products that do not employ complex analytic methods or sophisticated machinery. Volume 2 treats more recent work, including deBranges' solution of Bieberbach's conjecture, and requires more advanced mathematical knowledge.

Ranjan Roy (1947-2020) was the Ralph C. Huffer Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Beloit College, where he was a faculty member for 38 years. Roy published papers and reviews on Riemann surfaces, differential equations, fluid mechanics, Kleinian groups, and the development of mathematics. He was an award-winning educator, having received the Allendoerfer Prize, the Wisconsin MAA teaching award, and the MAA Haimo Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching and was twice named Teacher of the Year at Beloit College. He coauthored Special Functions (2001) with George Andrews and Richard Askey and coauthored chapters in the NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions (2010); he also authored Elliptic and Modular Functions from Gauss to Dedekind to Hecke (2017) and the first edition of this book, Sources in the Development of Mathematics (2011).

'Roy is well-known for useful scholarship. This book continues his record.' Robert E. O'Malley, University of Washington 'I often turn to Ranjan Roy for his wide-ranging works on series, both historical and contemporary. His writing is meticulous and a pleasure to read. These volumes can be used to engage undergraduates in the exploration of mathematics through its history and as a resource for anyone working in mathematics.' David M. Bressoud, Director, Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences 'an impressive source book with original materials from the creators of calculus (with excursions into algebra and number theory) from all over the world.' Pelegri Viader, MathSciNet