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Original Essays | October 18, 2009

Victoria Hislop: IMG From Leprosy to Lorca — Strange Inspiration



My first novel, The Island, was inspired by a chance visit to a tiny island leper colony off the coast of Greece on our summer holiday. It was a... Continue »
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3 Remote Warehouse Mathematics- Geometry General
1 Technical Mathematics- History

The Geometry of René Descartes

by René Descartes

The Geometry of René Descartes Cover
Out of Print

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

This is an unabridged reprint of the definitive English translations of one of the very greatest classics of science. Originally published in 1637, it has been characterized as "the greatest single step ever made in the progress of the exact sciences."

With this volume, Descartes founded modern analytical geometry. Reducing geometry to algebra and analysis and, conversely, showing that analysis may be translated into geometry, it opened the way for modern mathematics. Descartes was the first to classify curves systematically and to demonstrate algebraic solution of geometric curves. His geometric interpretation of negative quantities led to later concepts of continuity and the theory of function. The third book contains important contributions to the theory of equations.

This edition contains the entire definitive Smith-Latham translation of Descartes' three books: Problems the Construction of which Requires Only Straight Lines and Circles, On the Nature of Curved Lines; On the Construction of Solid and Supersolid Problems. Interweaved page by page with the translation is a complete facsimile of the 1637 French text, together with all Descartes' original illustrations; 248 footnotes explain the text and add further bibliography.

Synopsis:

The great work that founded analytical geometry. Included here is the original French text, Descartes' own diagrams, together with the definitive Smith-Latham translation. "The greatest single step ever made in the progress of the exact sciences." — John Stuart Mill.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780486600680
Translator:
David Eugene Smith
Translator:
Marcia L. Latham
Author:
Descartes, Rene
Author:
Descartes
Publisher:
Dover Publications
Subject:
General
Subject:
Descartes, rene, 1596-1650
Subject:
Geometry - General
Subject:
Geometry
Subject:
Geometry, analytic
Subject:
Early works to 1800
Subject:
General Mathematics
Copyright:
Publication Date:
June 1954
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
244
Dimensions:
800x542x52 61

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