String, Straightedge, & Shadow: A History of Geometry
This book recreates the atmosphere of ancient times. Using only three simple tools - the string, the straghtedge, and the shadow - men discovered the basic principles and constructions of elementary geometry more than two thousand years ago. This engrossing book reveals how these discoveries were made and shows how they were related to the early civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece.
The fabric of the story is woven out of archeological and historical records and legends about the major men of mathematics. By reconstructing the events as they might have happened, the author enables an attentive reader to easily follow the pattern of reasoning that leads to an ingenious proof of the pythagorean theorem, an appreciation of the significance of the Golden Mean in art and architecture, and the construction of the five regular solids.
Whether you are learning geometry for the first time, teaching it to your students, or parents heping your children through their first geometry course, this is a must read for everyone! You will be fascinated with the graphic illustrations and written depiction of how the knowedge and wisdom of so many cultures helped shape our civilization today.
Ideal for sixth grade.
155 pages
For grade
pages.
