This book is about all kinds of numbers, from rationals to octonians, reals to infinitesimals. It is a story about a major thread of mathematics over thousands of years, and it answers everything from why Hamilton was obsessed with quaternions to what the prospect was for quaternionic analysis in the 19th century. It glimpses the mystery surrounding imaginary numbers in the 17th century and views some major developments of the 20th century.
- ISBN13 9780387974972
- Publish Date 18 January 1996 (first published 6 August 1990)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
- Edition 1st Corrected ed. 1991. Corr. 2nd printing 1996
- Format Paperback
- Pages 398
- Language English