Edward Garboczi
Tag: Book Review
When one makes a list of the top ten greatest mathematicians of all time, Archimedes makes the cut, even though he lived more than 2000 years ago. Using geometry, he knew about the mysterious number π, the ratio between the circumference and the diameter of a circle, and determined that its value lay between 3.1408 and 3.1429 (π = 3.141592653…), only off the correct value by about 0.03%. He used the same kind of thinking that Sir Isaac Newton used to come within a whisker of inventing integral calculus 1700 years before Newton. He solved difficult problems in geometry, developed a form of scientific notation for large numbers, and made major advances in mechanics. In fact, he may have been the first mechanical engineer who used mathematics to design and build many new machines, including catapults and novel war machines, which were used to defend his home city of Syracuse against the early expanding Roman state.
In her book Archimedes and the Door of Science, Jeanne Bendick once again wonderfully combines simple, clear text with simple, clear illustrations to tell the story of this great man’s life. Knowing about Archimedes is a vital part of knowing the history of science and mathematics, as important as knowing about any other historical figure in antiquity. Although of course I have no way of knowing for sure, I think Archimedes would agree that we need more scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in our country! Becoming excited about where math comes from is perhaps one way to help make a student excited about STEM learning.
(At Plumfield, we all love this book! And we are delighted that both Bethlehem Books and Purple House Press have been keeping it back in print. Read Greta’s Plumfield Kids Review.)