Archimedes

Behind the familiar stories of Archimedes and his inventions stands a body of mathematical work that Thomas Little Heath sets out to explain. This study combines an account of the ancient scholar's life in Syracuse with chapters on Greek geometry, his surviving works, mechanics and hydrostatics. Heath draws on accounts by writers including Plutarch and Cicero, describing devices for moving heavy loads, defending the city and representing the motions of heavenly bodies.

The mathematical discussion follows the patient construction of proofs about curves, areas and solid figures. Particular attention goes to the Method, in which Archimedes explains to Eratosthenes how mechanical reasoning helped him discover results that then required geometrical demonstration. The distinction between finding an answer and proving it gives the book a clear focus beyond its biographical anecdotes. Readers interested in the history of mathematics can see how practical models and abstract reasoning worked together in Archimedes's investigations.