Let History into the Mathematics Classroom

One of the main values of history is to show that the notions and concepts we teach were invented to solve problems. The different chapters of this collection all have, as their starting points, historic problems--mathematical or not. These are problems of exchanging and sharing, of dividing figures and volumes as well as engineers' problems, calculations, equations and congruence. The mathematical reasoning which accompanies these actions is illustrated by the use of drawings, folding, graphical constructions and the production of machines.