Book excerpt: Because learning the language of mathematics can be daunting, many people abandon the attempt as soon as they leave school, missing out on the beauty and mystery of the Empress of the Sciences. Now, Joel Levy opens new doors into this amazing world. By taking a historical perspective, he explains how mathematical science advanced through the ages, introducing the most important concepts--from simple arithmetic, through algebra, trigonometry, geometry, and calculus, up to chaos and infinity theory--in understandable, nontechnical language.