In this pioneering work of mathematics, Joseph Fourier shows how the conduction of heat in solid bodies can be analyzed in terms of an infinite mathematical series. Known as the Fourier Series, this was the first correct theory on heat diffusion and continues to be used in present-day analysis. For anyone interested in the theory of heat or in the mathematical tools developed by Fourier, this classic work remains indispensable. Born the son of a French tailor, JOSEPH FOURIER (1768-1830) was a mathematician, Egyptologist, and politician whose strong influence on mathematical physics continues to this day. His other works include Description of Egypt and Analysis of Determinate Equations.