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There is probably not a single book that includes all the aspects of math. I am, however, looking for math books (by topic, such as trigonometry, number theory, etc.) that explain why certain things are the way they are. For example, if a book is talking about circles, it shouldn't expect me to accept that the angle of a circle is always 360 degrees, but explain me why it is so. No matter what the reason is (be it a convention, or some other reason), the book should state it. Are there such books? Thanks.

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I just read the FAQ, and I'm guessing this question will be closed soon. :( – Gunner Dec 18 2010 at 3:35
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I don't understand your example. That is essentially the definition of what a degree is. – Qiaochu Yuan Dec 18 2010 at 3:35
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thanks for your answers. I'm not particularly interested in this questions. What I am looking for is books that explain such things. The reason might be a historical one (as you pointed out). – Gunner Dec 18 2010 at 3:49
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You'd have to find a good book for each topic you're interested in, and the category is [History of Mathematics](en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_history). There are a lot of web pages that talk a little bit about mathematical history, and a few are www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/ www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/Links/ and aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/mathhist/subjects.html as a few. Some say that even before the Babylonians, the Rig Veda, especially parts by Dīrghatamas दीर्घतमस , talk about 360/720 divisions of sky: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… – sleepless in beantown Dec 18 2010 at 5:50
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Martin Gardner also wrote a bit about the history of certain portions of mathematics, as did Isaac Asimov. You would have to scan through their books to find the right references. – sleepless in beantown Dec 18 2010 at 5:51
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closed as off topic by Andy Putman, Ryan Budney, Gjergji Zaimi, Andres Caicedo, Yemon Choi Dec 18 2010 at 4:13

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