" He doesn't really care how innovations in mathematics resulted in fractional multiplication."<p>But I care.<p>In your world do only potato sellers need text books?<p>I wasn't talking about textbooks for potato sellers,  so I fail to see how this is relevant. The implicit audience in my post is a reader of HN. Does your potato vendor post on HN? ;-)<p>I wasn't talking about elementary mathematics in case that wasn't clear from the context. So now you know.<p>As you no doubt know already, I was responding to a very specific comment that said "I found that the best way for me to internalize a particular subject in hard science is to follow its history by reading the original papers." and I just made an observation noting my surprise  why (some)  textbooks aren't structured to help people <i>like the commenter</i> , not your potato vendor whom I haven't had the honor of meeting.<p>"What we really need is professors knowledgeable enough to answer these questions or point the student to the right texts."<p>Another strawman?<p>(a)I was asking for <i>some</i> textbooks to be structured this way for people who like learning that way.<p>(b) there is no reason not to wish for good professors <i>and</i>  textbooks of all kinds (NOT professors ExclusiveOr textbooks - where did you get <i>that</i> idea?) .<p>Since I wasn't advocating that potato sellers should be taught the history of additions and fractions, or  that textbooks should be substitutes for good professors,  I'll leave you be to hack at your favorite strawmen in peace ;-).