The Geometry of Rene Descartes - Softcover

Smith, David Eugene; Latham, Marcia L

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1025678230 ISBN 13: 9781025678238

Publisher: Tradd Street Press, 2026

Synopsis

"The Geometry of Rene Descartes" is a foundational masterpiece that marks the birth of modern analytic geometry. In this revolutionary work, Descartes introduces a method for solving geometric problems through algebraic equations, effectively merging two distinct branches of mathematics. By establishing the coordinate system that now bears his name, the author provides a transformative framework for quantifying space and visualizing algebraic functions, a development that laid the essential groundwork for the subsequent invention of calculus.

The text explores the construction of geometric problems using straight lines and circles, the nature of curved lines, and the properties of algebraic roots. Descartes' insights into the relationship between equations and their graphical representations changed the course of scientific inquiry, offering new tools for understanding the physical world. This work remains a vital primary source for students and scholars of the history of science and mathematics, representing a pivotal moment in the evolution of human thought and the transition toward modern mathematical analysis.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Edition details

• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1025678230
• ISBN 13: 9781025678238
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 274