Transcendental numbers

Abstract

Transcendental numbers are a relatively recent finding in mathematics and they provide, togheter with the algebraic numbers, a classification of complex numbers. In the present work the aim is to characterize these numbers in order to see the way from they differ the algebraic ones. Going back to ancient times we will observe how, since the earliest history mathematicians worked with transcendental numbers even if they were not aware of it at that time. Finally we will describe some of the consequences and new horizons of mathematics since the apparition of the transcendental numbers.