Series and Products in the Development of Mathematics

This two-volume work traces the development of series and products from 1380 to 2000 through the interconnected concepts and results of hundreds of unsung as well as celebrated mathematicians. Some chapters deal with the work of primarily one mathematician on a pivotal topic, and other chapters chronicle the progress over time of a given topic. This updated second edition of Sources in the Development of Mathematics adds extensive context, detail, and primary source material, with many sections rewritten to more clearly reveal the significance of key developments and arguments. Volume 1, accessible even to advanced undergraduate students, discusses the development of the fundamental methods in series and products that do not employ complex analytic methods or sophisticated machinery. Volume 2 deals with more recent and advanced results, such as Nevanlinna theory and deBranges' work.