Numbers

Abstract

The European Renaissance as rebirth of humanistic thought began in the middle of the fourteenth century in Italy and had its maximal development in the sixteenth century, in which with some delay the ideas of renewal of natural sciences and mathematics were accepted. In particular, algebra experienced a push forward, but also important results came from mechanics, astronomy, trigonometry and geometry. A few learned men began to build on the mathematical results of the ancient scientists. Thus the works of Archimedes, Apollonius, Euclid and Heron of Alexandria became of remarkable interest. It was discovered that in the year 50 A.D. already Heron in his book Stereometria had described roots of negative numbers.