Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T15:33:11.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Why teach history of mathematics ?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

Torkil Heiede
Torkil Heiede*
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, Royal Danish School of Educational Studies, Emdrupvej 115 B, DK-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

There are questions which have only personal answers. One such question is the one in the title; another, which is intricately bound up with it, is: Why teach mathematics? On the following pages you will find my personal answers to both questions; a selection of other people's answers to one or both are listed at the end. Much longer lists could be made, and very long ones if one included also papers in other languages than English. As you will see, my list contains papers from different parts of the world and from different times in this century; it seems that many people agree, for different reasons, that one really should teach history of mathematics, but that it has to be said again and again.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 76 , Issue 475 , March 1992 , pp. 151 - 157
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Arcavi, Abraham, “History of Mathematics and Mathematics Education: A Selected Bibliography”. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik 17 (1985) pp 26–29. Also in: Grattan-Guiness, Ivor (ed). History in Mathematics Education: Proceedings of a Workshop held at the University of Toronto, Canada 1983, Cahier d’histoire et de philosophie des sciences No. 21 (1987) pp 197–203.Google Scholar
2. Arcavi, Abraham, Bruckheimer, Maxim and Ben-Zwi, Ruth, “Maybe a Mathematics Teacher can Profit from the Study of the History of Mathematics”. For the learning of mathematics 3 (1982) 1 pp 30–37.Google Scholar
3. Barwell, M., “The Advisability of Including some Instruction in the School Course on the History of Mathematics”. The Mathematical Gazette 7 (1913) pp 72–79.Google Scholar
4. Boero, Paulo, “Semantic Fields Suggested by History: Their Function in the Acquisition of Mathematical Concepts”. Zentralblat für Didaktik der Mathematik 21 (1989) pp 128–133.Google Scholar
5. Booker, George, International Study Group on the Relations Between History and Pedagogy of Mathematics (HPM) (Report of meetings held in conjunction with the International Congress on Mathematical Education 5). Historia Mathematica 13 (1986) pp 184–190.Google Scholar
6. Byers, Victor, “Why Study the History of Mathematics?”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 13 (1982) pp 59–66.Google Scholar
7. Cajori, F., Introduction, in: Cajori, F., A History of Mathematics. Macmillan, New York 1919, pp 6–8.Google Scholar
8. “The Development and Nature of Mathematics”. Part 3 of: Mathematics in General Education: A Report of the Committee on the Function of Mathematics in General Education for the Commission on Secondary School Curriculum. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York 1940, pp 241–266.Google Scholar
9. Fauvel, John (interviewed), “Is the History of Mathematics Suitable for Classrooms?”. Nämnaren 16 (1989) pp 13–15.Google Scholar
10. Flegg, Graham, “Some Questions on the Teaching of the History of Mathematics”. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik 10 (1978) pp 67–69.Google Scholar
11. Francis, Richard L., “History of Mathematics in the Training Program for Elementary Teachers”. The Arithmetic Teacher 23 (1976) pp 248–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Freitag, Herta T. and Freitag, Arthur H., “Using the History of Mathematics in Teaching on Secondary School Level”. Mathematics Teacher 50 (1957) pp 220–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Freudenthal, Hans, “The Implicit Philosophy of Mathematics History and Education” Plenary Address at the International Congress of Mathematicians 1982, Warszawa 1983.Google Scholar
14. Freudenthal, Hans, “Should a Mathematics Teacher Know Someting about the History of Mathematics?”. For the learning of mathematics 2 (1981) pp 30–33.Google Scholar
15. Friedelmeyer, Jean-Pierre, “Teaching Sixth Form Mathematics with a Historical Perspective”, in Fauvel, John (ed). History in the Mathematics Classroom. The Mathematical Association, Leicester 1990, pp 1–16.Google Scholar
16. Golberg, M.A. and Bowman, H., “Mathematics History: A Unifying Device in the Teaching of Mathematics”, American Mathematical Monthly 83 (1976) pp 651–653.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Grabiner, Judith V., “The Centrality of Mathematics in the History of Western Thought”. Mathematics Magazine 61 (1988) pp 220–230.Google Scholar
18 Grattan-Guiness, Ivor, “Not from Nowhere: History and Philosophy behind Mathematical Education”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 4 (1973) pp 421–453.Google Scholar
19. Grattan-Guiness, Ivor, “On the Relevance of the History of Mathematics to Mathematical Education”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science andTechnology 9 (1978) pp 275–285.Google Scholar
20. Green, D.R., “History in Mathematics Teaching: Before the Advent of Modern Mathematics, and: Modern Times”. Mathematics in School 5 (1976) 3, pp 15–17 and 4, pp 5–9.Google Scholar
21. “The History of Mathematics and its Bearing on Teaching”. Chapter 9 in Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Schools, Ministry of Education Pamphlet No. 36, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office 1958, pp 134–154.Google Scholar
22. Grugnetti, Lucia, “The Role of the History of Mathematics in an Interdisciplinary Approach to Mathematics Teaching”. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik 21 (1989) pp 133–138.Google Scholar
23. Haggerty, Rod, “The Place of the History of Mathematics in the Undergraduate Curriculum”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 22 (1991) pp 65–68.Google Scholar
24. Harper, Eon, “Ghosts of Diophantus”. Educational Studies in Mathematics 18 (1987) pp 75–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25. Hickman, F. and Kapaida, R., “A History of Mathematics Course for Teachers”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 14 (1983) pp 753–761.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26. Jones, Phillip S., “The History of Mathematics as a Teaching Tool”, in Hallerberg, Arthur E. (ed). Historical Topics for the Mathematics Classroom. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Washington, D.C. 1969, 2nd ed. Reston, Virginia 1989, pp 1–17.Google Scholar
27. Katz, Victor J., “Using History in Teaching Mathematics”. For the learning of mathematics 6 (1986) 3, pp 13–19.Google Scholar
28. Kazim, M.M., The Use of History of Mathematics in the Teaching of Mathematics in Secondary Education”, in Zweng, M. et al (eds), Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Mathematical Education. Birkhaüiser, Boston 1983, pp 402–404.Google Scholar
29. Kleiner, Israel, “Famous Problems in Mathematics: An Outline of a Course”. For the learning of mathematics 6 (1986) 1, pp 31–38.Google Scholar
30. Lefort, Xavier, “History of Mathematics in Adult Continuing Education”, in Fauvel, John (ed), History in the Mathematics Classroom. The Mathematical Association, Leicester 1990, pp 85–96.Google Scholar
31. Long, Robert L., “Remarks on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics”. American Mathematical Monthly 93 (1986) pp 609–619.Google Scholar
32. Matthews, Michael R., “History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching: A Brief Review, and a Bibliography”. Synthese 80 (1989) pp 1–7 and 185–196.Google Scholar
33. Meserve, Bruce E., “The History of Mathematics as a Pedagogical Tool”, in Zweng, M. et al (eds), Proceedings of the 4th International Congress on Mathematical Education. Birkhaiiser, Boston 1983 pp 398–400.Google Scholar
34. Nagaoka, Ryosuke, “On the Role that History of Mathematics plays in Mathematics Education”. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik 11 (1989) pp 176–179.Google Scholar
35. Pimm, David, “Why the History and Philosophy of Mathematics should not be Rated X”. For the learning of mathematics 3 (1982) 1, pp 12–15.Google Scholar
36. Read, Cecil B., “The Use of the History of Mathematics as a Teaching Tool”. School Science and Mathematics 65 (1965) pp 211–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37. Rogers, Leo F., “The Philosophy of Mathematics and the Methodology of Mathematics Teaching”. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik 10 (1978) pp 63–67.Google Scholar
38. Rogers, Leo F., “Teaching the History of Mathematics – Purpose and Methodology”. Newsletter of the International Study Group on the Relations Between History and Pedagogy of Mathematics 1980 pp 4–7.Google Scholar
39. Siu, Fung-Kit and Siu, Man-Keung, “History of Mathematics and its Relation to Mathematical Education”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 10 (1979) pp 561–567.Google Scholar
40. Siu, Man-Keung, “Mathematics for Math-Haters”. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 8 (1977) pp 17–21.Google Scholar
41. Struik, Dirk J., “Why Study the History of Mathematics?” The Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics and its Applications 1 (1980) pp 3–28.Google Scholar
42. Swetz, Frank J., “Seeking Relevance? Try the History of Mathematics”. Mathematics Teacher 77 (1984) pp 54–62 and 47.Google Scholar
43. Swetz, Frank J., “Some Thoughts on Teaching the History of Mathematics”. Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics Journal 6 (1981) pp 9–15. Also in: Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in S.E. Asia 4 (1981) pp 34–39.Google Scholar
44. Swetz, Frank J., “What Ever Happened to the History of Mathematics?” American Mathematical Monthly 89 (1982) pp 695–697.Google Scholar
45. Swetz, Frank J., “Using Problems from the History of Mathematics in Classroom Instruction”. Mathematics Teacher 82 (1989) pp 370–377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
46. Tahta, Dick, “In Caalyosi’s Arms”. For the learning of mathematics 6 (1986) 1, pp 17–23.Google Scholar
47. Weil, André, “History of Mathematics: Why and How”, in: Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Helsinki 1978, pp 227–236.Google Scholar
48. Wilder, R.L., “History in the Mathematics Curriculum: Its Status, Quality, and Function”. American Mathematical Monthly 79 (1972) pp 479–494.CrossRefGoogle Scholar