The Development of Mathematics in Medieval Europe complements the previous collection of articles by Menso Folkerts, Essays on Early Medieval Mathematics, and deals with the development of mathematics in Europe from the 12th century to about 1500. In the 12th century European learning was greatly transformed by translations from Arabic into Latin. Such translations in the field of mathematics and their influence are here described and analysed, notably al-Khwarizmi's "Arithmetic" -- through which Europe became acquainted with the Hindu-Arabic numerals -- and Euclid's "Elements". Five articles are dedicated to Johannes Regiomontanus, perhaps the most original mathematician of the 15th century, and to his discoveries in trigonometry, algebra and other fields. The knowledge and application of Euclid's "Elements" in 13th- and 15th-century Italy are discussed in three studies, while the last article treats the development of algebra in South Germany around 1500, where much of the modern symbolism used in algebra was developed.
Table of Contents
Contents: Preface; Arabic mathematics in the West; Early texts on Hindu-Arabic calculation; Euclid in Medieval Europe; Probleme der Euklidinterpretation und ihre Bedeutung fÃ¼r die Entwicklung der Mathematik; Die mathematischen Studien Regiomontans in seiner Wiener Zeit; Regiomontanus' role in the transmission and transformation of Greek mathematics; Regiomontanus' approach to Euclid; Regiomontanus' role in the transmission of mathematical problems; Leonardo Fibonacci's knowledge of Euclid's Elements and of other mathematical texts; Piero della Francesca and Euclid; Luca Pacioli and Euclid; Algebra in Germany in the 15th century; Indexes.
’Few scholars, if any, know more than Folkerts about medieval Latin mathematical manuscripts... whoever is interested in medieval Latin mathematics can therefore learn from this book... Summing up, Folkert's description of 15th-century German algebra is certainly indispensable for any further discussion of the topic in that it lists all known important and several [...] minor manuscript sources and points to many of the parameters that have to be taken into account.’ Aestimatio ’Together with the previous volume on Essays in early Medieval Mathematics, ... the book under review is indispensable for all research scholars in the history of science in antiquity, the Islamic and European medieval period, and the Renaissance.’ Suhayl