A celebrated mathematician traces the history of math through the lives and work of twenty-five pioneering mathematicians. In Significant Figures, acclaimed mathematician Ian Stewart introduces the visionaries of mathematics throughout history. Delving into the lives of twenty-five great mathematicians, Stewart examines the roles they played in creating, inventing, and discovering the mathematics we use today. Through these short biographies, we get...

"Two veteran math educators concisely profile leading mathematicians throughout history highlighting their often unusual personalities and lives while giving average readers insights into the importance of their mathematical discoveries."--

"The breathtakingly rapid pace of change in computing makes it easy to overlook the pioneers who began it all. Written by Martin Davis, respected logician and researcher in the theory of computation, The Universal Computer: The Road from Leibniz to Turing explores the fascinating lives, ideas, and discoveries of seven remarkable mathematicians. It tells the stories of the unsung heroes of the computer age - the logicians. New to the thrid edition;...

"The Kitchen Pantry Scientist: Math for Kids features biographies of 20+ leading mathematicians, past and present, accompanied by accessible and engaging games and activities to bring the history and principles of math alive"--

We are not all born with equal opportunities. Yet there have been countless of women who have overcome a range of barriers such as prejudice, illness, and personal tragedy to advance our understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They used their knowledge to change the world, and their stories are fascinating. This book offers a concise introduction of the lives of 46 women, taking you into the cultural and social context...

"The story of Katherine Johnson, an African American mathematician whose work was critical to the first US space flight"-- Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or astronauts walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as "human computers" used their knowledge, pencils, adding machines, and writing paper to calculate the orbital mechanics needed to launch spacecraft. Katherine Johnson was one of these mathematicians who used...

"The inspiring autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11."-- As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal...

"A memorable, inspiring introduction to a groundbreaking figure in STEM history. Growing up in southern India during British rule, Srinivasa Ramanujan was fascinated by numbers: they made patterns only he could see. Soon he spent as much time as he could in the world of mathematics, exploring concepts and trying to publish his ideas. In 1914, twenty-six-year-old Ramanujan sailed to England to work with the acclaimed mathematician G.H. Hardy. Cambridge...

"NASA computer scientist Katherine Johnson and her two daughters tell the story of how she overcame racial barriers to play an integral role during the American space program's early days"--