As you know, you will be expected to include 12 examples in your essays on Friday.  One "example" would be "Cardano wrote about solving generic cubic equations in modern Italy in the 16th century."  (who, what, where, when)).  Then the example would be used in a context to demonstrate a point or somehow fit an overall answer to a question.  I hope this helps.  You will not be expected to write about how Cardano solved cubic equations (or anything else of the sort).  

§6.2.3- Quick Answers

One thing that frequently arises is questions of notation.  There is an excellent book in the library:  Cajori, Florian, A history of mathematical notations.  I recommend it.  

Algebra is making a transition from verbal to symbolic.  I will keep trying to give access to original sources when I can to illustrate this.

Logarithms ask what power a ratio is raised to, so considering exponents of geometric sequences are surely related.  

I have read that Rudolff did have notation for roots other than square roots, but it wasn't quite the same as what we now use.  I don't know much more.  Recall that algebra was mostly verbal (notice verbal does not mean oral - it was written, but written in words, as we have repeatedly seen).  In many cases, they didn't have other notation, but just words for things.  On the other hand, we have seen Chuquet's notation.  Fractional exponents are a ways off still.  Rudolff wanting humanity to work on solving the cubic doesn't seem incongruous with him not knowing how to.  It is definitely still common for people to write ideas in paper that they hope others will work on.  

I imagine Suzuki's point in mentioning Stifel's past in numerology and astrology was to give you an idea of what different pursuits people were mixing at the time.  Surely his end-time computation must have been similarly stretched as his other numerological computations.  This isn't the beginning of 666  numerology (see Revelations, although apparently "they" now saw the translation should have been 616).  

It's my impresions that protestants were more literal in their biblical interpretation than catholics, hence their being more uncomfortable with the heliocentric model.  There is much more to be studied on this topic, but it takes is afield.  It is also easily researched.  

I couldn't find any further information on Riese.  

Suzuki does make bold claims.  If you don't agree with him - do the research to back it up.  You might be right, he might be.  

As I've said before, I don't know much about the history of education, but I'm sure that Melanchthon and others could be easily researched.  

Diet can also mean the meeting of a general assembly or parliament.

Does seem reasonable that we have Greek names for Germans because of the renaissance interest in Greek.  

Sixtus IV was a pope.  The Sistine Chapel remains, but the original artwork over the altar has changed.   Frederick the wise was the elector of Saxony.