Mazur (Euclid in the Rainforest) gives readers the fascinating history behind the mathematical symbols we use, and completely take for granted, every day. Mathematical notation turns numbers into ...

STONE RIDGE >> “Writing the History of Mathematical Notation: 1483-1700 (Docent Press, 2015),” coedited by Douglas Furman, an associate professor of mathematics, coordinator of the Math Collegian ...

Before the 16th century, most math equations were written as metered verse. Thank god for graphic-design-inclined mathematicians. The study of mathematics has existed since ancient times.

The use of '=' to mean 'equals' is one of those minor advances in mathematics that we take for granted. It's so small that we don't really think about it. But Joseph Mazur, the author of Enlightening ...

You may not realize it, but Pi Day is a real, nationally recognized holiday. In 2014, Joseph Mazur, author of Enlightening Symbols: A Short History of Mathematical Notation and Its Hidden Powers, ...

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED His only option, he decided, was to ...

THE invention of the decimal notation, which involves the use of zero and the assignment of local value to digits, made such an immense alteration in the character of arithmetical calculations that it ...

As I told my class on Thursday, the theme of the first week of our math history course was “easy algebra is hard in base 60.” We started the semester in ancient Mesopotamia, trying to understand ...

Before the 16th century, most math equations were written as metered verse. Thank god for graphic-design-inclined mathematicians.