In order to understand the universe you must know the language in which it is written. And that language is mathematics.
- Galileo (1564-1642)

People have always sought order in the apparent chaos of the universe. Mathematics has been our most valuable tool in that search, uncovering the patterns and rules that govern our world and beyond. This book traces humankind's greatest achievements, plotting a journey through the mathematical intellects of the last 4,000 years to where we stand today. It features the giants of mathematics, from Euclid and Pythagoras, through Napier and Newton, to Leibniz, Riemann, Russell, and many more.

Topics include:
• Counting and measuring from the earliest times
• The Ancient Egyptians and geometry
• The movements of planets
• Measuring and mapping the world
• Fuzzy logic and set theory
• The death of numbers