What Is Mathematics?

The book was based on Courant's course material. Although Robbins assisted in writing a large part of the book, he had to fight for authorship. Courant alone held the copyright for the book. This resulted in Robbins receiving a smaller share of the royalties. According to Constance Reid, Courant finalized the choice of the title after discussing it with Thomas Mann. ==Translations==

• The first Russian translation Что такое математика? was published in 1947; there were 5 translations since then, the last one in 2010. • The first Italian translation, ''Che cos'è la matematica?'', was published in 1950. А translation of the second edition was issued in 2000. • The first German translation Was ist Mathematik? by Iris Runge was published in 1962. • A Spanish translation of the second edition, ¿Qué Son Las Matemáticas?, was published in 2002. • The first Bulgarian translation, Що е математика?, was published in 1967. А second translation appeared in 1985. • The first Romanian translation, Ce este matematica?, was published in 1969. • The first Polish translation, Co to jest matematyka, was published in 1959. А second translation appeared in 1967. А translation of the second edition was published in 1998. • The first Hungarian translation, Mi a matematika?, was published in 1966. • The first Serbian translation, Šta je matematika?, was published in 197 Ş • The first Japanese translation, '''', was published in 1966. А translation of the second edition was published in 2001. • A Korean translation of the second edition, '''', was published in 2000. • A Portuguese translation of the second edition, O que é matemática?, was published in 2000. == Reviews ==

• What is Mathematics? An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods, book review by Brian E. Blank, Notices of the American Mathematical Society 48, #11 (December 2001), pp. 1325–1330 • What is Mathematics?, book review by Leonard Gillman, The American Mathematical Monthly 105, #5 (May 1998), pp. 485–488. == Editions ==

• Reprinted several times with a few corrections of minor errors and misprints as a "Second Edition" in 1943, a "Third Edition" in 1945, a "Fourth Edition" in 1947", a "Ninth Printing" in 1958 and a "Tenth Printing" in 1960, and another edition in 1978. • (1996) 2nd edition, with additional material by Ian Stewart. New York: Oxford University Press. . • French translation of the second English edition by Marie Anglade and Karine Py. • Spanish translation of the second English edition. • (first Italian translation, from the 1945 English edition) • (based on the previous Einaudi's edition) • (Vietnamese translation by Hàn Liên Hải from the Russian edition) • (Italian translation of the second English edition) == References ==