The Development of Mathematics in Medieval Europe

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.

Menso Folkerts is Professor of the History of Science at the University of Munich, Germany, and the author of a second collection in the Variorum series: Essays on Early Medieval Mathematics.

Contents: Preface; Arabic mathematics in the West; Early texts on Hindu-Arabic calculation; Euclid in Medieval Europe; Probleme der Euklidinterpretation und ihre Bedeutung fÃ-r 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.