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History of Mathematics

Guide to materials about the history and teaching of mathematics held by The Bancroft Library.

Rare Books

The Bancroft collection of books on the history of mathematics is particularly strong. The collection includes works from the 15th century such as Euclid’s Elementa Geometriae from 1482 and 18th and 19th century textbooks from the United States, Mexico, and Europe. The Bancroft Library continues to acquire new materials on the history of mathematics.

 

Title page of first English edition of EuclidThe Elements of geometrie of the most auncient philosopher Evclide of Megara
Imprinted at London : By Iohn Daye. 1570

 

 

 

Here is a sample of the major treatises that The Bancroft Library holds:

 

Apollonius, of Perga.

Elementa conica Apollonii Pærgei ; et, Archimedi opera, noua & breuiori methodo demonstrata

1679

Romaæ: Apud Mascardum

QA31.A6 1679

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991006623029706532

 

Archimedes., author.

Archimedis opera non nulla

MDLVIII 1558

Venetiis: Apud Paulum Manutium, Aldi f.

f QA31 .A7 1558

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991008919059706532

 

Brahe, Tycho, 1546-1601.

Tychonis Brahe astronomiae instauratae progymnasmata.: Quorum haec prima pars. De restitutione motuum solis et lunae stellarumque inerrantium tractat.: Et praetereá de admirandâ nova stella anno 1572 exortâ luculenter agit.: Praemissa est authoris vita..

M. DC. III. 1603

Typis inchoata Vraniburgi Daniae.; Absoluta Pragae Bohemiae: publisher not identified

QB41 .B73 1603

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/1thfj9n/alma991015610479706532

 

Diophantus, of Alexandria.

Diophanti Alexandrini arithmeticorum libri sex, et De numeris multangulis liber vnus: cum commentariis C.G. Bacheti V.C. & obseruationibus D.P. de Fermat senatoris Tolosani; accessit Doctrinae analyticae inuentum nouum, collectum ex varijs eiusdem D. de Fermat epistolis.

MDCLXX 1670

Tolosae: Excudebat Bernardus Bosc, è regione Collegij Societatis Iesu

 f QA31 D5 1670

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991040157599706532

 

Euclid.

Preclarissimus liber elementorum Euclidis perspicacissimi: in artem geometrie incipit qua[m] foelicissime.

25 May 1482

Venice: Erhard Ratdolt

f II8.V3 R28 1482e

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991003586889706532

 

Euclid.

The elements of geometrie of the most auncient philosopher Evclide of Megara

1570

Imprinted at London: By Iohn Daye

f QA31 .E83 1570 

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/1thfj9n/alma991015621769706532

 

Euler, Leonhard, 1707-1783.

Introductio in analysin infinitorum.

1748

Lausannae, M. M. Bousquet

QA302.E8 I59 1748

 https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991006601679706532

 

Galilei, Galileo, 1564-1642.

Le operationi del compasso geometrico, e militare. Lettore delle matematiche nello studio di Padoua. Dedicato al serenissimo d. Cosimo Medici, principe di Toscana.

1656

Bologna, H.H. del Dozza

QA33 .G3 1656 copy 2

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991015610179706532

 

Kepler, Johannes, 1571-1630.

Astronomia nova aitiologetos [romanized]: sev physica coelestis, tradita commentariis de motibvs stellae Martis, ex observationibus G.V. Tychonis Brahe, jussu & sumptibus Rvdolphi II ... plurimum annorum pertinaci studio elaborata Pragae ...

1609

Heidelberg: G. Voegelinus

F QB41 .K32 1609

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991015599619706532

 

Newton, Isaac, 1642-1727, author.

Philosophia naturalis principia mathematica

anno MDCLXXXVII 1687

Londini: Jussu Societatis Regiae ac typis Iosephi Streater, prostat apud plures bibliopolas

QA803 .A3 1687

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991015697579706532

 

Ptolemy, active 2nd century.

Almagestu[m] Cl. Ptolemei: Pheludiensis Alexandrini astronomo[rum] principis ...

1515 Die. 10. Ja

F QB41.P76.A6 1515

https://search.library.berkeley.edu/permalink/01UCS_BER/op3pcd/alma991015593969706532

 

 

About

This LibGuide was created by Susan McElrath, formerly of The Bancroft Library.