The history of mathematics is a science that studies the occurrence, development and laws of mathematical science, which is simply to study the history of mathematics. It not only traces the evolution and development process of mathematics contents, ideas and methods, but also explores various factors affecting this process and the influence of the development of mathematics science on human civilization in history. Therefore, the research object of the history of mathematics not only includes specific mathematical contents, but also involves social sciences and humanities such as history, philosophy, culturology and religion, which is an interdisciplinary subject.
The history of mathematics belongs to both the field of historiography and the field of mathematical science, so the study of the history of mathematics should follow the laws of both historiography and mathematical science. According to this feature, mathematical analysis can be used as a special auxiliary means in the study of mathematical history. In the absence or lack of historical data, we can analyze the contents and methods of ancient mathematics from the height of modern mathematics, so as to trace the source, summarize the theory and put forward historical hypothesis. Mathematical analysis is actually a connection between "ancient" and "present".
The task of studying the history of mathematics is to find out the basic historical facts in the development of mathematics, reproduce its original features, and make scientific and reasonable explanations, explanations and evaluations on mathematical achievements, theoretical systems and development models through these historical phenomena, so as to explore the laws and cultural essence of the development of mathematical science. As the basic methods and means to study the history of mathematics, there are often historical textual research, mathematical analysis, comparative research and other methods.