Due: Friday, March 28 (please note change in due date). The third and final extended essay will be assigned on that date.
Over the past few weeks, we have discussed the development of Hellenistic mathematics, its transmission to the Islamic world, and its return to Europe. We can consider this route by considering the history of some of the classic books of Hellenistic mathematics.
Pick one the three books
and write an essay (3 - 5 pages) on the story of one of these books starting from its first writing and carrying it through to European times. With Euclid, we should probably end the story with the first publication as a printed book. With the almagest we should probably end shortly after Copernicus. With Diophantos' Arithmetic, we should follow it through roughly to the book that Fermat read.