Grades 5-9
15 vignettes—144 pages

In the 1800s, Ada Byron Lovelace met the queen one evening at a ball, but she was more excited that night to meet renowned mathematician Mary Somerville. Ada became her student, but was torn between her love for mathematics and her love for music. She continued to pursue both as she began assisting Charles Babbage as he worked to invent a machine that could calculate tables. As Ada poured her thoughts into the creation of such a mechanism, she came up with an idea to create punch cards that could write and play music. Not only had she found a way to combine her interests in mathematics and music, but in so doing, she invented what would be the first method of computer programming.  (The computer language ADA is named in tribute to her work.)

The story of Ada Byron Lovelace is among a collection of stories about great mathematicians that intrigues and inspires students. Research shows almost nothing captures the interest and attention of students like a good story. Mathematicians are People, Too, will have students recognizing that mathematics was developed and shaped by real men and women who faced a full range of challenges and triumphs.

Although the focus of this book is on the human dimension, the subject of mathematics is treated with respect. When possible, mathematical concepts are explained in simple terms.

Teachers can use the stories in this book in many ways. They may simply be read aloud to enrich mathematics curriculum. One story could be read each week to provide a captivating introduction to the history of mathematics, or the appropriate story could be read at the beginning of a math lesson to introduce a mathematical concept. A list of mathematical topics and the stories that feature them is included to assist teachers.

Mathematicians featured in Mathematicians are People, Too, Volume Two include:
Euclid, Omar Khayyam, Fibonacci, Cardano, Descartes, Fermat, Agnesi, Banneker, Babbage, Somerville, Abel, Lovelace, Kovalevsky, Einstein, and Polya.