History Of Mathematics –

mth110

(1 credit)

This one-credit course introduces students to a survey of the history of mathematics, including the background of famous mathematicians from ancient to modern times and their specific contributions to mathematics. The format and content of the course is conceptual rather than technical.

This undergraduate-level course is 2 weeks. To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Advisor.

Topics and Objectives

The 19th Century
- Analyze and discuss the formalization, or maturing, of the foundations of mathematics in the later part of the century.
- Identify the major mathematical figures of the time and discuss their work.
- Analyze the changing social and economic conditions in the West during this period that contributed to a favorable setting for the further progress in mathematics, science, and technology.
The Earliest Use of Numbers
- Identify and discuss the conditions that gave rise to Neolithic man.
- Examine some of the human activities that stimulated the early concepts of numbers.
- Identify and discuss the independent mathematical achievements of the Minoan-Mycean, Maya, and Inca civilizations.
The Early Mathematics of the Egyptian and Babylonian Cultures
- Identify the Sumerian and Akkadan people, and discuss the events that gave rise to the Babylonian empire.
- Examine the mathematical motivations and accomplishments of the Egyptian and Babylonian cultures.
Classical Greek Mathematics
- Identify and discuss the conditions and events that gave rise to the classical Greek city-state.
- Analyze the nature of Greek mathematics, and discuss the ways in which it influenced the work of so many later cultures.
- Identify and discuss the work of major figures in classical Greek mathematics.
Mathematics During Hellenistic and Roman Times
- Examine the circumstances and events that established Alexandria as the premier center of scholarship and training.
- Identify and discuss the work of the major Greek mathematical figures who studied and worked in Alexandria.
- Identify the "great works" we have from this time period, especially Euclid's Elements and Ptolemy's Almagest.
The Mathematical Achievements of the Chinese, Arabic, and Hindu Cultures
- Examine the major achievements of early Chinese and Hindu mathematics.
- Analyze and discuss the rise of Arabic and Islamic culture and their mathematical achievements.
- Discuss Arabic and Hindu preservation and enhancement of Greek mathematical knowledge and their role in the transmission of this knowledge to the West.
The Awakening in the West
- Identify the major mathematical figures during the Middle Ages and discuss their work.
- Discuss the mathematical contributions from scholastic philosophers during the Middle Ages.
The 17th Century
- Identify the major mathematical developments during this period.
- Examine the work, preceding Newton and Leibniz, during this period that continued to develop the ideas central to the development of calculus.
- Analyze the major works of Newton and Leibniz relating to their independent formalizations of what we now call calculus.
The 18th Century
- Identify and discuss the major European mathematical figures working at this time.
- Discuss the rapid development of calculus, including the important extensions of it resulting in the fields of the study of ordinary and partial differential equations as well as the calculus of variations.
- Identify the applications of the new tools of calculus; discuss the revolution in science and engineering that the new mathematics made possible.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

History Of Mathematics –

mth110

The 19th Century

The Earliest Use of Numbers

The Early Mathematics of the Egyptian and Babylonian Cultures

Classical Greek Mathematics

Mathematics During Hellenistic and Roman Times

The Mathematical Achievements of the Chinese, Arabic, and Hindu Cultures

The Awakening in the West

The 17th Century

The 18th Century

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