John C. Sparks “The Pythagorean Theorem, Crown Jewel of Mathematics" 
Sparrow-Hawke Tres. | 2008-04-02 | ASIN: B001787LGA | 187 pages | PDF | 1,9 Mb 


Reader's review:
The Pythagorean Theorem has been with us for over 4000 years and has never ceased to yield its bounty to mathematicians, scientists, and engineers. Amateurs love it in that most new proofs are discovered by amateurs. Without the Pythagorean Theorem, none of the following is possible: radio, cell phone, television, internet, flight, pistons, cyclic motion of all sorts, surveying and associated infrastructure development, and interstellar measurement. The Pythagorean Theorem, Crown Jewel of Mathematics chronologically traces the Pythagorean Theorem from a conjectured beginning, Consider the Squares (Chapter 1), through 4000 years of Pythagorean proofs, Four Thousand Years of Discovery (Chapter 2), from all major proof categories, 20 proofs in total. Chapter 3, Diamonds of the Same Mind, presents several mathematical results closely allied to the Pythagorean Theorem along with some major Pythagorean "spin-offs" such as Trigonometry. Chapter 4, Pearls of Fun and Wonder, is a potpourri of classic puzzles, amusements, and applications. An Epilogue, The Crown and the Jewels, summarizes the importance of the Pythagorean Theorem and suggests paths for further exploration. Four appendices service the reader: A] Greek Alphabet, B] Mathematical Symbols, C] Geometric Foundations, and D] References. For the reader who may need a review of elementary geometric concepts before engaging this book, Appendix C is highly recommended. A Topical Index completes the book.