From Wikipedia's History of Mathematics:
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The word "mathematics" comes from the Greek: μάθημα (máthema) which means "science, knowledge, or learning"; μαθηματικός (mathematikós) means "fond of learning". Today, the term refers to a specific body of knowledge -- the deductive study of quantity, structure, space, and change. The area of study known as the history of mathematics is primarily an investigation into the origin of new discoveries in mathematics, to a lesser extent an investigation into the standard mathematical methods and notation of the past. |
This text will guide you through the history of mathematics, emphasizing mathematics that are believed to have had a significant impact on the modern field of Math. This text is designed to be used in a course supporting general mathematical studies, to provide the student with an appreciation of the struggles and achievements of historic mathematicians. It is expected that the student has been exposed to introductory mathematics concepts, such as logic, college level algebra, introductory calculus, basic trigonometry, and geometry. Thorough knowledge should not be required, but the student should be able to follow progressions from postulate to theorem.