Fractions: A Sliver of the Story

Fractions are everywhere and yet most of us learn only basic and rather dry facts about fractions in primary school. This book makes fractions come to life in a friendly, lively, and accessible way, detailing the history of fractions and their crucial role in the work of mathematicians from various cultures throughout the ages.

The book begins by outlining the importance of rational numbers and links ancient Babylonian mathematics with modern processes for determining their decimal expansion...