“A simply written … account of the evolution of the use of numbers … Instructive and enjoyable.” — Scientific American.The numbers we take for granted haven’t always been part of human existence. This exploration of how people came to appreciate and utilize numbers chronicles the social and practical factors that made them increasingly important in everyday life. An informative introduction to modern number systems and their ancient roots, it also offers a fascinating portrait of human development from a unique perspective. Written by a well-known mathematician, Man and Number traces the ways in which early humans first acquired a sense of number and gradually adapted methods for recording numerical data and performing simple calculations. It profiles the ancient systems of recording numbers — Egyptian, Maya and Aztec, Chinese, Greek, and the techniques of other cultures — and defines how our modern number system grew from the Hindu system to its present degree of complexity. This highly readable book requires only a familiarity with elementary mathematical ideas for complete comprehension and enjoyment, particularly by readers interested in the evolution of human customs.