The Calculus Story

Calculus is the key to much of modern science and engineering. It is the mathematical method for the analysis of things that change, and since in the natural world we are surrounded by change, the development of calculus was a huge breakthrough in the history of mathematics. But it is also something of a mathematical adventure, largely because of the way infinity enters at virtually every twist and turn...

In The Calculus Story, David Acheson presents a wide-ranging picture of calculus and its applications, from ancient Greece right up to the present day. Drawing on their original writings, he introduces the people who helped to build our understanding of calculus. With a step-by-step treatment, he demonstrates how to start doing calculus, from the very beginning.

Calculus is the mathematical method for the analysis of things that change, and since in the natural world we are surrounded by change, the development of calculus was a huge breakthrough in the history of mathematics. But it is also something of a mathematical adventure, largely because of the way infinity enters at virtually every twist and turn. In this book, David Acheson presents a wide-ranging picture of calculus and its applications, from ancient Greece right up to the present day.

A masterpiece. -- Steven Strogatz, professor of mathematics, Cornell University, and author of The Joy of X, and Infinite Powers

This is the book on calculus I wish I'd written. It's a beautifully simple, friendly guide that's bursting at the seams with glorious, persuasive explanations as to why calculus is one of the most powerful ideas ever conceived by mankind. -- Hannah Fry, broadcaster, lecturer, and author of The Mathematics of Love

A very clear explanation of calculus (I wish I'd had it as a maths student!) along with some history of the subject. -- Tim Harford, The Undercover Economist

Dazzling. - Matthew Reisz, Times Higher Education

I would have killed for this book when I was 13 ... David Acheson belongs in the league of great authors of popular works on mathematics. -- George Matthews, Mathematics Today

This is a splendid little book by the author of the best seller 1089 and all that. It is written in the same brisk and engaging style, making it accessible to a very wide audience... [David Acheson] set himself a stiff challenge and has passed with flying colours. The book is highly recommended and should prove to be another best seller. -- Adam McBride, The Mathematical Gazette

Don't panic if your mathematical muscles appear to have withered away (or you never truly cracked differentiation), David Acheson's The Calculus Story could be just the thing. ... A roller-coaster read, constantly climbing and diving through the wonderful world of calculus... There's something for everyone, from the inexperienced integrator to the seasoned solver of equations... His enthusiasm for calculus is almost palpable. -- New Scientist

A simple guide to calculus--where it came from, how it works, what it's good for, and where it went. Brief, informative, charming, and a model of clarity. Ideal motivation for beginners, and recommended to anyone who wonders what the subject is about. --Ian Stewart, author of Seventeen Equations that Changed the World

A superb introduction to calculus that should be in every young mathematician's bookcase. -- Peter Ransom, Symmetry Plus

Perhaps the greatest achievement of The Calculus Story is that it manages to
introduce and explain a great deal of mathematics without ever losing its friendly,
readable voice. It is constantly engaging and informative, and accessible to a large
audience, giving it great potential to educate the public, and engage them in mathematics
and its history. --BSHM Bulletin

Acheson offers a much-needed short account of the big picture of calculus as a whole, illustrated with examples and reproductions from historic publications [...] Short pages, many illustrations, and a sense of telling a big story contribute to the success of the book. -- Paul J. Campbell, Mathematical Magazine