history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
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30<br />
Figure 12. 7<br />
Transcription <strong>of</strong> Figure 2.8b<br />
Summaries and exercises<br />
1 Introduction to the Babylonians<br />
Chapter summary<br />
• general background (whole chapter).<br />
Practice exercises<br />
There are no practice exercises for this chapter.<br />
2 Babylonian <strong>mathematics</strong><br />
Chapter summary<br />
• an introduction to the Babylonian number system (Activities 2.1 to 2.5)<br />
• Babylonian arithmetic (Activity 2.6)<br />
• the Babylonian method for finding square roots (Activities 2.7 to 2.9)<br />
• solution <strong>of</strong> quadratic equations (Activities 2.10 and 2.11)<br />
• Babylonian geometry (Activities 2.12 and 2.13).<br />
Practice exercises<br />
1 Look at Figure 12.1 and answer the following questions.<br />
a Using your calculator or otherwise, convert 42; 25,35 and 1; 24,51,10 into<br />
decimal numbers. Give your answers to at least seven significant figures accuracy.<br />
b To which number is 1; 24,51,10 an approximation?<br />
c Describe a geometric algorithm to estimate square roots which the Babylonians<br />
may have used to calculate this approximation.<br />
d Write the algorithm to calculate -