Chinese Mathematics

Book excerpt: This volume presents a record of mathematical developments in China over a period of more than 2000 years. It goes into greater detail than ever previously available in English. Because the emphasis in Chinese mathematics is on algorithms rather than proofs, readers will find results such as Bezout's theorem and Horner's method appearing in a very different context from the familiar tradition of Euclidean deductive geometry. The Chinese always preferred algebraic methods, and by the 13th century A.D. they were the best algebraists in the world. The original Chinese point of view is retained by the translators. They have supplemented the text with short explanatory comments and references to all relevant reference sources available in the West. An extensive bibliography is included, creating a work which will appeal to general readers interested in Chinese history as well as historians of mathematics.