history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
history of mathematics - National STEM Centre
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2.1<br />
Babylonian<br />
tablets, 1<br />
2.2<br />
Babylonian<br />
tablets, 2<br />
2.3<br />
Babylonian<br />
tablets, 3<br />
2.4<br />
Babylonian<br />
tablets, 4<br />
2.5<br />
Babylonian<br />
fractions<br />
2.6<br />
Babylonian<br />
arithmetic<br />
2.7<br />
Square<br />
roots<br />
2.8<br />
Square<br />
roots again<br />
2.9<br />
Calculating<br />
square roots<br />
2.10<br />
Quadratic<br />
equations<br />
2.11<br />
Another<br />
quadratic equation<br />
12<br />
Babylonian <strong>mathematics</strong><br />
J<br />
2.12<br />
Geometry<br />
2.13<br />
Applying<br />
Pythagoras's theorem |<br />
In this chapter you will learn how the Babylonians represented and wrote their<br />
numbers, and how they carried out calculations. You will also learn that they used<br />
the result now known as Pythagoras's theorem, and could calculate square roots and<br />
solve quadratic equations.<br />
Activities 2.1 to 2.5 introduce you to the Babylonian number system and the tablets<br />
used as evidence <strong>of</strong> Babylonian <strong>mathematics</strong>.<br />
Activity 2.6 is an introduction to Babylonian arithmetic. You can find more detail<br />
in, for example, The crest <strong>of</strong> the peacock, by G G Joseph.<br />
Activities 2.7 to 2.9 are about the way Babylonians found square roots. This<br />
develops in Activities 2.10 and 2.11 to the solution <strong>of</strong> quadratic equations.<br />
In Activities 2.12 and 2.13, you will learn something about the geometry which the<br />
Babylonians knew.<br />
The activities are designed to be worked in sequen<br />
Activities 2.12 and 2.13 are optional.<br />
All the activities are suitable for working in a group.<br />
About 500 <strong>of</strong> the half million or so inscribed clay tablets excavated are thought to<br />
be <strong>of</strong> mathematical interest. These tablets are now scattered around the museums <strong>of</strong><br />
Europe, Iraq, and American universities. The Babylonian mathematical texts were<br />
largely undeciphered until the 1930s. Even now evidence continues to be<br />
uncovered.