| Description |
1 online resource (339 pages) : illustrations |
|
data file |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references at the end of each chapters. |
| Contents |
The dawn of counting -- Representation of numbers -- Rational and irrational numbers -- Prime numbers -- Euclid's elements -- Diophantus of Alexandria and the Arithmetica -- Secret writing in ancient civilization -- The abacus -- Book of calculation by Fibonacci -- Decimal fractions and logarithms -- Calculating machines -- Solutions to algebraic equations -- Real and complex numbers -- Cardinality -- Boolean algebras and applications -- Computability and its limitations -- Cryptography from the medieval to the modern ages -- Electronic computers -- Numerical methods -- Modular arithmetic -- Cybernetics and information theory -- Error detecting and correcting codes -- Automata and formal languages -- Artificial intelligence -- Programming languages -- Algorithms and computational complexity -- The design of computer algorithms -- Parallel and distributed computing -- Computer networks -- Public-key cryptography -- Quantum computing. |
| Summary |
Exploring a vast array of topics related to computation, Computing: A Historical and Technical Perspective covers the historical and technical foundation of ancient and modern-day computing. The book starts with the earliest references to counting by humans, introduces various number systems, and discusses mathematics in early civilizations. It guides readers all the way through the latest advances in computer science, such as the design and analysis of computer algorithms. Through historical accounts, brief technical explanations, and examples, the book answers a host of questions, including: Why do humans count differently from the way current electronic computers do? Why are there 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, etc.? Who invented numbers, when were they invented, and why are there different kinds? How do secret writings and cryptography date back to ancient civilizations? Innumerable individuals from many cultures have contributed their talents and creativity to formulate what has become our mathematical and computing heritage. By bringing together the historical and technical aspects of computing, this book enables readers to gain a deep appreciation of the long evolutionary processes of the field developed over thousands of years. Suitable as a supplement in undergraduate courses, it provides a self-contained historical reference source for anyone interested in this important and evolving field. |
| Subject |
Computer science.
|
|
Electronic Data Processing |
|
Informatique. |
|
Computer science |
| Added Author |
Igarashi, Yoshihide, author.
|
| Other Form: |
Print version: Igarashi, Yoshihide. Computing : a historical and technical perspective. Boca Raton, Florida : CRC Press, ©2014 xviii, 317 pages 9781482227413 |
| ISBN |
9781482227420 (e-book) |
|
1482227428 (e-book) |
|
(alk. paper) |
|
More Resources