Algebra: Sets, Symbols, and the Language of Thought

Algebra, Revised Edition describes the history of both strands of algebraic thought. This updated resource describes some of the earliest progress in algebra as well as some of the mathematicians in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and Greece who contributed to this early period. It goes on to explore the many breakthroughs in algebraic techniques as well as how letters were used to represent numbers. New material has been added to the chapter on "modern" algebra, a type of mathematical research that continues to occupy the attention of many mathematicians today.