Cambridge University Press eBooks· 2014
A History of the Mathematical Theory of Probability
- 216citations
- 2014year
Short summary
This 1865 work chronicles the historical development of probability theory as a distinct mathematical subject, tracing its origins from 17th-century problems to the advanced work of Laplace.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Traces the rise of probability theory from 17th-century 'problem of points'.
- Covers contributions from figures like Pascal, Fermat, and Laplace.
- Explains how classical mathematical methods accelerated progress in probability.
- Originally published in 1865 by Isaac Todhunter.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Throughout his early life, Isaac Todhunter (1820–84) excelled as a student of mathematics, gaining a scholarship at the University of London and numerous awards during his time at St John's College, Cambridge. Taking up fellowship of the college in 1849, he became widely known for both his educational texts and his historical accounts of various branches of mathematics. The present work, first published in 1865, describes the rise of probability theory as a recognised subject, beginning with a discussion of the famous 'problem of points', as considered by the likes of the Chevalier de Méré, Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat during the latter half of the seventeenth century. Subsequently, the application of advanced methods that had been developed in classical areas of mathematics led to rapid progress in probability theory. Todhunter traces this growth, closing with a thorough account of Pierre-Simon Laplace's far-reaching work in the area.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Cambridge University Press eBooks, 2014 · DOI ↗
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Field: Theoretical Computer Science
Theoretical Computer ScienceMathematics