MID TERM EXAM HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS SEMESTER 1 2008/2009

PART 1 Answer all the questions. Each question carries 1 mark 1. Write this number which is in decimal notation into a sexagesimal notation, and convert the number into the Babylonian cuneiform symbol 47603 1/15 2. Write these numbers in the form of Egyptians numeral hieroglyphs: 51086 3. Multiply these numbers using the method of the Egyptians Rhind papyrus 138 59 4. Divide 1326 by 87 using the method of the Egyptians Rhind papyrus 5. Using the Chinese abacus, show the intermediate steps of subtracting 8677 from 21143

PART 2 Answer all the questions. Each answer carries 5 marks

1. What is Tell Dhibayi tablet? Find the sides of a rectangle whose area is 9;6 and whose diagonal is 4;21,36,10 by using the mathematical method of this tablet 2. What is papyrus? In which papyrus that the calculation of the volume of a truncated pyramid has been shown? Calculate the volume of a truncated pyramid if the top of the pyramid has a side equal to 4, the base of the pyramid has a side equal to 8, and the height of the pyramid is 12 3. Solve this Chinese problem There are 2 piles, one containing 5 bronze rings and the other 10 iron rings. The two piles of rings weight the same. One ring is taken from each pile and put into the other pile. It is now found that the pile of mainly bronze rings weighs 12 units less than the pile of mainly iron rings. Find the weight of a bronze ring and of an iron ring. Use our algebraic notation. In which Chinese mathematical handbook that a similar type of this problem appeared?

PART 1 Answer all the questions. Each question carries 1 mark 1. Write these numbers which are in decimal notation into a sexagesimal notation, and convert the numbers into the Babylonian cuneiform symbol 50793 1/27 8867 1/16 2. Write these numbers in the form of Egyptians numeral hieroglyphs 25081 1/217 3. Multiply these numbers using the method of the Egyptians Rhind papyrus 95 73 4. Divide 3011 by 89 using the method of the Egyptians Rhind papyrus 5. Using the Chineses abacus, show the intermediate steps of subtracting 9735 from 13021

PART 2 Answer all the questions. Each answer carries 5 marks 1. Derive the mathematical formulation and the geometrical representation of the Babylonians in their quest of finding the sides of a rectangle whose area is 9;6 and whose diagonal is 4;21,36,10 by using the mathematical method of this tablet 2. What is papyrus? In which papyrus that the calculation of the volume of a truncated pyramid has been shown? Calculate the volume of a truncated pyramid if the top of the pyramid has a side equal to 4, the base of the pyramid has a side equal to 8, and the height of the pyramid is 12 3. Solve this Chinese problem There are two piles, one containing 5 bronze rings and the other 10 iron rings. The two piles of rings weigh the same. One ring is taken from each pile and put into the other pile. It is now found that the pile of mainly bronze rings weighs 12 units less than the pile of mainly iron rings. Find the weight of a bronze ring and of an iron ring. Use our algebraic notation. In which Chinese mathematical handbook that a similar type of this problem appeared?