ancient math

mikau · 2006-09-05 13:56:26

I was just thinking, it is impressive to begin with how hundreds, even thousands of years ago, a large percetage of complex mathematical secrets were already uncovered, for instance, the pythegorean theorem. Its hard for me to imagine how extremely tedious more complex subjects like calculus would be when no calculators were avaible. Imagine what these great minds could have done if they didn't have to waste such a large portion of their time executing tedious, laborious algorithms! Or rubbing twigs together to relight their candles! :-P

Even worse, (which is the topic I've been getting at) how difficult must it have been before our elegent base 10 number system became the standard? Can you imagine even doing elementary algebra with roman numerals? Or worded numbers? I don't even want to think about it!

Heres an interesting article about our number system:

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Arabic_numerals.html

I can't seem to figure out if our number system is arabic or indian, I always thought it was arabic but the article seems to suggest its indian. Anyone know?

Last edited by mikau (2006-09-05 13:57:40)

Patrick · 2006-09-10 00:16:25

well, as far is I've understood the system itself is from India. The reason that we call it arabic, is because at some point(dont know when) the arabs started to gather mathematical texts from all over, and translated them(into arabic ?). So we(europeans, and later americans ofcourse) got the information through arabs, even though the system was actually developed in India.

mikau wrote:

Imagine what these great minds could have done if they didn't have to waste such a large portion of their time executing tedious, laborious algorithms! Or rubbing twigs together to relight their candles! :-P

Not only that, imagine where we could be now, if they had thought what we're thinking now.

Last edited by Patrick (2006-09-10 00:17:15)

mikau · 2006-09-10 03:12:18

Yeah!

...

what ARE we thinking now? :-P

Patrick · 2006-09-10 03:48:50

isn't the most important question: who are we?

Chelsea · 2006-09-17 19:31:19

good question who are we?

Answer: Human

Patrick · 2006-09-18 03:17:47

How can you tell I'm not a program?

Last edited by Patrick (2006-09-18 03:18:20)

Kurre · 2006-09-18 23:44:24

Patrick wrote:

How can you tell I'm not a program?

because below your name it says "Real member"

i found the maya indians very fascinating. they used a counting system with 20 as base and did also create the concept zero very early. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Maya.png
they also did very accurate astronomical observations.

i also think i read somewhere that they predicted the end of the world, when translated to our calendar, to year 2012-2014 at the same time as a meteor will come very close to the earth

Chelsea · 2006-09-19 14:01:19

It says in the future robots are going to take over the world (scary)

Devantè · 2006-09-20 04:09:21

Nah, looks pretty much doubtful, in my opinion. But your opinion is still open - After all, I could be wrong, or you could be wrong. It's all down to what the human race does, and what we do with artificial intelligence. Will man step too far? So far across the line to where man was not meant to cross?

Chelsea · 2006-09-20 15:56:50

will just have to wait and see

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2006-09-05 13:56:26

ancient math

#2 2006-09-10 00:16:25

Re: ancient math

#3 2006-09-10 03:12:18

Re: ancient math

#4 2006-09-10 03:48:50

Re: ancient math

#5 2006-09-17 19:31:19

Re: ancient math

#6 2006-09-18 03:17:47

Re: ancient math

#7 2006-09-18 23:44:24

Re: ancient math

#8 2006-09-19 14:01:19

Re: ancient math

#9 2006-09-20 04:09:21

Re: ancient math

#10 2006-09-20 15:56:50

Re: ancient math

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