Mario Gerwig

This book presents about 365 different proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem in a highly visual and accessible form, while also placing the theorem and its wide variety of proofs into both a mathematical and cultural context. Here, the theorem becomes a model for the discoveries of ancient mathematics, showing how mathematical truths build upon one another. The collection also gives students a unique insight into the methods of mathematics and its deductive structure. The collection of proofs is based on the work of Elisha Scott Loomis (1852–1940), who gathered, systematized, and published hundreds of algebraic and geometric proofs. His work became a crystallization point for the intellectual and cultural history of mathematics, exemplarily condensed in the Pythagorean theorem. After more than 80 years, the Loomis collection is now published again in a thoroughly revised and expanded edition. This book is a translation of the original German edition Der Satz des Pythagoras in 365 Beweisen by Mario Gerwig, published by Springer-Verlag...