Home : Book details : Book description

Description of  Heavenly Mathematics: The Forgotten Art of Spherical Trigonometry

An unparalleled illustrated history of spherical trigonometry from antiquity to today Heavenly Mathematics traces the rich history of spherical trigonometry, revealing how the cultures of classical Greece, medieval Islam, and the modern West used this forgotten art to chart the heavens and the Earth. Once at the heart of astronomy and ocean-going navigation for two millennia, the discipline was also a mainstay of mathematics education for centuries and taught widely until the 1950s. Glen Van Brummelen explores this exquisite branch of mathematics and its role in ancient astronomy, geography, and cartography Islamic religious rituals celestial navigation polyhedra stereographic projection and more. He conveys the sheer beauty of spherical trigonometry, providing readers with a new appreciation of its elegant proofs and often surprising conclusions. Read more