Origins of Mathematical Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of Latin, Greek, and Arabic Roots - Paperback

by Anthony Lo Bello (Author)

Do you ever wonder about the origins of mathematical terms such as ergodic, biholomorphic, and strophoid? Here Anthony Lo Bello explains the roots of these and better-known words like asymmetric, gradient, and average. He provides Greek, Latin, and Arabic text in its original form to enhance each explanation. This sophisticated, one-of-a-kind reference for mathematicians and word lovers is based on decades of the author's painstaking research and work. Origins of Mathematical Words supplies definitions for words such as conchoid (a shell-shaped curve derived from the Greek noun for "mussel") and zenith (Arabic for "way overhead"), as well as approximation (from the Latin proximus, meaning "nearest"). These and hundreds of other terms wait to be discovered within the pages of this mathematical and etymological treasure chest.

Author Biography

Anthony Lo Bello is a professor of mathematics at Allegheny College and author of four volumes about Euclid's elements of geometry in the Middle Ages.