Otto Toeplitz Books

The classic book that shares the enjoyment of mathematics with readers of all skill levels What is so special about the number 30? Do the prime numbers go on forever? Are there more whole numbers than even numbers? The Enjoyment of Math explores these and other captivating problems and puzzles, introducing readers to some of the most fundamental ideas in mathematics. Written by two eminent mathematicians and requiring only a background in plane geometry and elementary algebra, this delightful book covers topics such as the theory of sets, the four-color problem, regular polyhedrons, Euler’s proof of the infinitude of prime numbers, and curves of constant breadth. Along the way, it discusses the history behind the problems, carefully explaining how each has arisen and, in some cases, how to resolve it. With an incisive foreword by Alex Kontorovich, this Princeton Science Library edition shares the enjoyment of math with a new generation of readers.

When first published posthumously in 1963, this bookpresented a radically different approach to the teaching of calculus. In sharp contrast to the methods of his time, Otto Toeplitz did not teach calculus as a static system of techniques and facts to be memorized. Instead, he drew on his knowledge of the history of mathematics and presented calculus as an organic evolution of ideas beginning with the discoveries of Greek scholars, such as Archimedes, Pythagoras, and Euclid, and developing through the centuries in the work of Kepler, Galileo, Fermat, Newton, and Leibniz. Through this unique approach, Toeplitz summarized and elucidated the major mathematical advances that contributed to modern calculus. Reissued for the first time since 1981 and updated with a new foreword, this classic text in the field of mathematics is experiencing a resurgence of interest among students and educators of calculus today.