Sacred Mathematics: Japanese Temple Geometry
Winner of the 2008 PROSE Award in Mathematics, Association of American Publishers"Now Fukagawa Hidetoshi, a mathematics teacher, and writer Tony Rothman present a collection ofSangakuproblems in their book,Sacred Mathematics. The puzzles range from simple algebra within the grasp of any intermediate-school student, to challenging problems that require graduate-school mathematics to solve. Copious illustrations and many detailed solutions show the scope, complexity, and beauty of what was tackled in Japan during the Tokugawa shogunate."--Peter J. Lu,Nature"Fascinating and beautiful book."--Physics World"This book is the most thorough (and beautiful) account of Japanese temple geometry (sangaku) available."--Paul J. Campbell,Mathematics Magazine"The difficult problems with complete solutions and rich commentary that comprise the heart of this book will interest every mathematics student."--Choice"This is a marvelous book. Good books are not just written or compiled, they are crafted.Sacred Mathematicsis a well crafted work that combines mathematics, history and cultural considerations into an intriguing narrative. . . . The writing style is appealing and the organization of material excellent. Princeton University Press must be congratulated on producing this quality publication and offering it at an agreeable price. This book is highly recommended for personal reading and library acquisition. It should be especially appealing to problem solvers."--Frank J. Swetz,Convergence"A unique book in every respect.Sacred Mathematicsdemonstrates how mathematical thinking can vary by culture yet transcend cultural and geographic boundaries."--International Institute for Asian Studies Newsletter