history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
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12 Summaries and exercises<br />
• how Viete's law <strong>of</strong> homogeneity restricted the development <strong>of</strong> algebra<br />
(Activities 6.4 and 6.5)<br />
• how Descartes's method represented a new approach to the use <strong>of</strong> algebraic<br />
notation (Activities 6.6 to 6.11)<br />
• how to apply Descartes's method to van Schooten's problem (Activity 6.12)<br />
• an algebraic analysis <strong>of</strong> the problem <strong>of</strong> trisecting an angle (Activity 6.13).<br />
Practice exercises<br />
The practice exercises for this chapter are combined with those in Chapter 8.<br />
7 Constructing algebraic solutions<br />
Chapter summary<br />
• how to translate an algebraic analysis into a geometric construction (Activity<br />
7.1)<br />
• how Descartes developed constructions requiring circles (Activities 7.2 to 7.6)<br />
• how Descartes's method can lead to solutions which are curves (Activities 7.7 to<br />
7.9)<br />
• Descartes' s discussion <strong>of</strong> the nature <strong>of</strong> curves (Activity 7.10 and preceding text)<br />
• analysing curves produced using construction instruments (Activities 7.11 to<br />
7.13)<br />
• Descartes's discussion <strong>of</strong> acceptable curves (Activity 7.14)<br />
• Descartes's geometrical construction <strong>of</strong> the trisection <strong>of</strong> an angle (Activity 7.15).<br />
Practice exercises<br />
The practice exercises for this chapter are combined with those in Chapter 8.<br />
8 An overview <strong>of</strong> La Geometrie<br />
Chapter summary<br />
the importance <strong>of</strong> Descartes's work seen so far (Activity 8.1)<br />
how Descartes classified curves (Activities 8.2 to 8.4)<br />
how Descartes attempted to standardise equations (Activity 8.5)<br />
how Descartes treated negative solutions (Activity 8.6)<br />
how to use Descartes's rule <strong>of</strong> signs (Activities 8.7 and 8.8)<br />
how Descartes constructed a normal to a curve (Activity 8.9)<br />
the contribution <strong>of</strong> Descartes to analytical geometry (Activity 8.10, and<br />
surrounding text)<br />
• an example <strong>of</strong> the work <strong>of</strong> Fermat in analytical geometry (Activity 8.11).<br />
Practice exercises<br />
1 Write brief notes on Descartes' s contribution to <strong>mathematics</strong>.<br />
2 Construct Descartes's graphical solution to the cubic equation x 3 = -4.x +16,<br />
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