A history of Greek mathematics Vol.II from Aristarchus to Diophantus by Heath, Thomas Little, Sir, 1921
MACEDONIA is GREECE and will always be GREECE- (if they are desperate to steal a name, Monkeydonkeys suits them just fine) ΚΑΤΩ Η ΣΥΓΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΔΟΤΩΝ!!! ΦΕΚ,ΚΚΕ,ΚΝΕ,ΚΟΜΜΟΥΝΙΣΜΟΣ,ΣΥΡΙΖΑ,ΠΑΣΟΚ,ΝΕΑ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ,ΕΓΚΛΗΜΑΤΑ,ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ, MACEDONIA,ΣΥΜΜΟΡΙΤΟΠΟΛΕΜΟΣ,ΠΡΟΣΦΟΡΕΣ,ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ,ΕΝΟΠΛΕΣ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΙΣ,ΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ, ΑΕΡΟΠΟΡΙΑ,ΑΣΤΥΝΟΜΙΑ,ΔΗΜΑΡΧΕΙΟ,ΝΟΜΑΡΧΙΑ,ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ,ΛΟΓΟΤΕΧΝΙΑ,ΔΗΜΟΣ,LIFO,ΛΑΡΙΣΑ, ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ,ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ,ΟΝΝΕΔ,ΜΟΝΗ,ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΕΙΟ,ΜΕΣΗ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗ,ΙΑΤΡΙΚΗ,ΟΛΜΕ,ΑΕΚ,ΠΑΟΚ,ΦΙΛΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ,ΝΟΜΟΘΕΣΙΑ,ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΙΚΟΣ,ΕΠΙΠΛΟ, ΣΥΜΒΟΛΑΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟΣ,ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ,ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΙΚΑ,ΝΕΟΛΑΙΑ,ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΑ,ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ,ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΑ,ΑΥΓΗ,ΤΑ ΝΕΑ,ΕΘΝΟΣ,ΣΟΣΙΑΛΙΣΜΟΣ,LEFT,ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ,ΚΟΚΚΙΝΟ,ATHENS VOICE,ΧΡΗΜΑ,ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ,ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑ, ΡΑΤΣΙΣΜΟΣ,ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΕΣ,GREECE,ΚΟΣΜΟΣ,ΜΑΓΕΙΡΙΚΗ,ΣΥΝΤΑΓΕΣ,ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΣ,ΕΛΛΑΔΑ, ΕΜΦΥΛΙΟΣ,ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ,ΕΓΚΥΚΛΙΟΣ,ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΟ,ΓΥΜΝΑΣΤΙΚΗ,ΑΓΡΟΤΙΚΗ,ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ, ΜΥΤΙΛΗΝΗ,ΧΙΟΣ,ΣΑΜΟΣ,ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ,ΒΙΒΛΙΟ,ΕΡΕΥΝΑ,ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΗ,ΚΥΝΗΓΕΤΙΚΑ,ΚΥΝΗΓΙ,ΘΡΙΛΕΡ, ΠΕΡΙΟΔΙΚΟ,ΤΕΥΧΟΣ,ΜΥΘΙΣΤΟΡΗΜΑ,ΑΔΩΝΙΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑΔΗΣ,GEORGIADIS,ΦΑΝΤΑΣΤΙΚΕΣ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΕΣ, ΑΣΤΥΝΟΜΙΚΑ,ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΚΗ,ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΚΑ,ΙΚΕΑ,ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ,ΑΤΤΙΚΗ,ΘΡΑΚΗ,ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ,ΠΑΤΡΑ, ΙΟΝΙΟ,ΚΕΡΚΥΡΑ,ΚΩΣ,ΡΟΔΟΣ,ΚΑΒΑΛΑ,ΜΟΔΑ,ΔΡΑΜΑ,ΣΕΡΡΕΣ,ΕΥΡΥΤΑΝΙΑ,ΠΑΡΓΑ,ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ, ΙΩΑΝΝΙΝΑ,ΛΕΥΚΑΔΑ,ΣΠΑΡΤΗ,ΠΑΞΟΙ
MACEDONIA is GREECE and will always be GREECE- (if they are desperate to steal a name, Monkeydonkeys suits them just fine)
ΚΑΤΩ Η ΣΥΓΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟΔΟΤΩΝ!!!
ΦΕΚ,ΚΚΕ,ΚΝΕ,ΚΟΜΜΟΥΝΙΣΜΟΣ,ΣΥΡΙΖΑ,ΠΑΣΟΚ,ΝΕΑ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ,ΕΓΚΛΗΜΑΤΑ,ΔΑΠ-ΝΔΦΚ, MACEDONIA,ΣΥΜΜΟΡΙΤΟΠΟΛΕΜΟΣ,ΠΡΟΣΦΟΡΕΣ,ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ,ΕΝΟΠΛΕΣ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΙΣ,ΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ, ΑΕΡΟΠΟΡΙΑ,ΑΣΤΥΝΟΜΙΑ,ΔΗΜΑΡΧΕΙΟ,ΝΟΜΑΡΧΙΑ,ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ,ΛΟΓΟΤΕΧΝΙΑ,ΔΗΜΟΣ,LIFO,ΛΑΡΙΣΑ, ΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑ,ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ,ΟΝΝΕΔ,ΜΟΝΗ,ΠΑΤΡΙΑΡΧΕΙΟ,ΜΕΣΗ ΕΚΠΑΙΔΕΥΣΗ,ΙΑΤΡΙΚΗ,ΟΛΜΕ,ΑΕΚ,ΠΑΟΚ,ΦΙΛΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ,ΝΟΜΟΘΕΣΙΑ,ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΙΚΟΣ,ΕΠΙΠΛΟ, ΣΥΜΒΟΛΑΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΚΟΣ,ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ,ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΙΚΑ,ΝΕΟΛΑΙΑ,ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΑ,ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ,ΙΣΤΟΡΙΚΑ,ΑΥΓΗ,ΤΑ ΝΕΑ,ΕΘΝΟΣ,ΣΟΣΙΑΛΙΣΜΟΣ,LEFT,ΕΦΗΜΕΡΙΔΑ,ΚΟΚΚΙΝΟ,ATHENS VOICE,ΧΡΗΜΑ,ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ,ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑ, ΡΑΤΣΙΣΜΟΣ,ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΕΣ,GREECE,ΚΟΣΜΟΣ,ΜΑΓΕΙΡΙΚΗ,ΣΥΝΤΑΓΕΣ,ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΣ,ΕΛΛΑΔΑ, ΕΜΦΥΛΙΟΣ,ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ,ΕΓΚΥΚΛΙΟΣ,ΡΑΔΙΟΦΩΝΟ,ΓΥΜΝΑΣΤΙΚΗ,ΑΓΡΟΤΙΚΗ,ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΟΣ, ΜΥΤΙΛΗΝΗ,ΧΙΟΣ,ΣΑΜΟΣ,ΠΑΤΡΙΔΑ,ΒΙΒΛΙΟ,ΕΡΕΥΝΑ,ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΗ,ΚΥΝΗΓΕΤΙΚΑ,ΚΥΝΗΓΙ,ΘΡΙΛΕΡ, ΠΕΡΙΟΔΙΚΟ,ΤΕΥΧΟΣ,ΜΥΘΙΣΤΟΡΗΜΑ,ΑΔΩΝΙΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΑΔΗΣ,GEORGIADIS,ΦΑΝΤΑΣΤΙΚΕΣ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΕΣ, ΑΣΤΥΝΟΜΙΚΑ,ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΚΗ,ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΚΑ,ΙΚΕΑ,ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ,ΑΤΤΙΚΗ,ΘΡΑΚΗ,ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ,ΠΑΤΡΑ, ΙΟΝΙΟ,ΚΕΡΚΥΡΑ,ΚΩΣ,ΡΟΔΟΣ,ΚΑΒΑΛΑ,ΜΟΔΑ,ΔΡΑΜΑ,ΣΕΡΡΕΣ,ΕΥΡΥΤΑΝΙΑ,ΠΑΡΓΑ,ΚΕΦΑΛΟΝΙΑ, ΙΩΑΝΝΙΝΑ,ΛΕΥΚΑΔΑ,ΣΠΑΡΤΗ,ΠΑΞΟΙ
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NOTATION AND DEFINITIONS 457<br />
that the sign was not duplicated for the plural, although such<br />
duplication was the practice <strong>of</strong> the Byzantines. That the<br />
sign was merely an abbreviation for the word dpid/169 and no<br />
algebraical symbol is shown <strong>by</strong> the fact that it occurs in the<br />
manuscripts for dpiOfios in the ordinary sense as well as for<br />
dpiOfios in the technical sense <strong>of</strong> the unknown quantity. Nor<br />
is it confined <strong>to</strong> <strong>Diophantus</strong>. It appears in more or less<br />
similar forms in the manuscripts <strong>of</strong> other <strong>Greek</strong> mathematicians,<br />
e.g. in the Bodleian MS. <strong>of</strong> Euclid (D'Orville 301)<br />
<strong>of</strong> the ninth century (in<br />
the forms 9 99, or as a curved line<br />
similar <strong>to</strong> the abbreviation for kcli), in the manuscripts <strong>of</strong><br />
the Sand -reckoner <strong>of</strong> Archimedes (in a form approximating<br />
<strong>to</strong> y), where again there is confusion caused <strong>by</strong> the<br />
similarity <strong>of</strong> the signs for dpiOfios and /cat,<br />
in a manuscript<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Geodaesia included in the Heronian collections edited<br />
<strong>by</strong> Hultsch (where it appears in various forms resembling<br />
sometimes £ sometimes p, sometimes o, and once £, with<br />
case- endings superposed) and in a manuscript <strong>of</strong> Theon <strong>of</strong><br />
Smyrna.<br />
What is the origin <strong>of</strong> the sign? It is certainly not the<br />
final sigma, as is proved <strong>by</strong> several <strong>of</strong> the forms which it<br />
takes.<br />
I found that in the Bodleian manuscript <strong>of</strong> <strong>Diophantus</strong><br />
it is written in the form '^4,<br />
final sigma.<br />
larger than and quite unlike the<br />
This form, combined with the fact that in one<br />
place Xylander's manuscript read ap for the full word, suggested<br />
<strong>to</strong> me that the sign might be a simple contraction <strong>of</strong> the first<br />
two letters <strong>of</strong> dpiBfios. This seemed <strong>to</strong> be confirmed <strong>by</strong><br />
Gardthausen's mention <strong>of</strong> a contraction for ap, in the form up<br />
occurring in a papyrus <strong>of</strong> a.d. 154, since the transition <strong>to</strong> the<br />
form found in the manuscripts <strong>of</strong> <strong>Diophantus</strong> might easily<br />
have been made through an intermediate form < p. The loss <strong>of</strong><br />
the downward stroke, or <strong>of</strong> the loop, would give a close<br />
approximation <strong>to</strong> the forms which we know. This hypothesis<br />
as <strong>to</strong> the origin <strong>of</strong> the sign has not, so far as I know, been<br />
improved upon. It has the immense advantage that it makes<br />
the sign for dp16/169 similar <strong>to</strong> the signs for the powers <strong>of</strong><br />
the unknown, e.g. A Y for Swapis, K Y for icvfios, and <strong>to</strong> the<br />
o<br />
sign M for the unit, the sole difference being that the two<br />
letters coalesce in<strong>to</strong> one instead <strong>of</strong> being separate.<br />
458 DIOPHANTUS OF ALEXANDRIA<br />
Signs for the powers <strong>of</strong> the unknown and their reciprocals.<br />
The powers <strong>of</strong> the unknown, corresponding <strong>to</strong> our x 2 , x ?J . . . x<br />
are defined and denoted as follows<br />
x 2 is Svvctfjus and is denoted <strong>by</strong> A Y ,<br />
x ?> „ kv/3os „ „ „ K Y ,<br />
X 4 ,, BvvajxoSvvajjLLS „ „ A A,<br />
x 5 „ SvvctfioKvPos „ „ AK<br />
,<br />
x G „ KvfioKvffos „ „ „ K K.<br />
Beyond the sixth power <strong>Diophantus</strong> does not go. It should<br />
be noted that, while the terms <strong>from</strong> Kvfios onwards may be<br />
used for the powers <strong>of</strong> any ordinary known number as well as<br />
for the powers <strong>of</strong> the unknown, Svuafii? is restricted <strong>to</strong> the<br />
square <strong>of</strong> the unknown<br />
;<br />
wherever a particular square number<br />
is spoken <strong>of</strong>, the term is reTpdyoovos dptOfio?. The term<br />
SwanoSyvajiis occurs once in another author, namely in the<br />
Metrica <strong>of</strong> Heron, 1 where it is used for the fourth power <strong>of</strong><br />
the side <strong>of</strong> a triangle.<br />
<strong>Diophantus</strong> has also terms and signs for the reciprocals <strong>of</strong><br />
the various powers <strong>of</strong> the unknown, i.e. for 1/x, l/x 2 ....<br />
As an aliquot part was ordinarily denoted <strong>by</strong> the corresponding<br />
numeral sign with an accent, e.g. /= J> ia!= tt> <strong>Diophantus</strong><br />
has a mark appended <strong>to</strong> the symbols for x, x 2 . . . <strong>to</strong> denote the<br />
reciprocals; this, which is used for aliquot parts as well, is<br />
printed <strong>by</strong> Tannery thus, *. With <strong>Diophantus</strong> then<br />
dpiOjxoa-Tou, denoted <strong>by</strong> ?*, is equivalent <strong>to</strong> l/x,<br />
SwafiocrTOv, „ A „ „ 1 / x 2 ,<br />
and so on.<br />
The coefficient <strong>of</strong> the term in x, x 2 ... or l/x, l/x 2 ... is<br />
expressed <strong>by</strong> the ordinary numeral immediately following,<br />
e.g. AK Y /c