Polyhedra : one of the most charming chapters of geometry
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Polyhedra : one of the most charming chapters of geometry
Cambridge University Press, 1999, c1997
- : pbk
Available at 26 libraries
Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. [411]-438) and indexes
"First published 1997" -- t.p. verso
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Polyhedra have cropped up in many different guises throughout recorded history. In modern times, polyhedra and their symmetries have been cast in a new light by combinatorics and group theory. This book comprehensively documents the many and varied ways that polyhedra have come to the fore throughout the development of mathematics. The author strikes a balance between covering the historical development of the theory surrounding polyhedra, and presenting a rigorous treatment of the mathematics involved. It is attractively illustrated with dozens of diagrams to illustrate ideas that might otherwise prove difficult to grasp. Historians of mathematics as well as those more interested in the mathematics itself, will find this unique book fascinating.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Indivisible, inexpressible and unavoidable
- 2. Rules and regularity
- 3. Decline and rebirth of polyhedral geometry
- 4. Fantasy, harmony and uniformity
- 5. Surfaces, solids and spheres
- 6. Equality, rigidity and flexibility
- 7. Stars, stellations, and skeletons
- 8. Symmetry, shape and structure
- 9. Counting, colouring and computing
- 10. Combination, transformation and decoration
- Appendices.
by "Nielsen BookData"