MATHEMATICS IN MODERN WORLD

ASSIGNMENT #1

MACAM, EMERSON D.

Often, the first signs of mathematics in a society are in the form of counting. Proof of
counting has been found on bones, stones, and the walls of caves. Some artifacts in Africa are
more than 20,000 years old. So, when was math invented? Archaeologists found multiplication
tables on clay that date back to 2500 BCE. Most societies developed a base-ten system, likely
based on the number of fingers.
Typically, after the development of counting, a numeral system is molded. This allows
for arithmetic to be computed and practiced. Arithmetic includes addition, multiplication,
division, fractions, and more. The Sumerian arithmetic system was passed through multiple
empires and regions before the Babylonians around 300 BCE. After arithmetic, the concept
of geometry and algebra typically develops within societies. Geometry has been applicable in
many applications, like building homes and pyramids, tracking the time, and more.
Mathematics developed following the same pattern in multiple locations around the
world. For example, the Mayans in Central America developed a calendar system and predicted
the movement of the stars without the knowledge of the Sumerian system. Mathematicians in
Babylonia, India, and China all had the concept of zero around the same time period, with no
evidence of exchanging ideas. So, who invented math? No single person is the inventor of math,
but many civilizations contributed to a growing understanding of the concepts.
Mathematics has existed in different cultures around the world, and it is important to
understand their contribution. While many ancient mathematicians are unknown due to a lack of
historical records, their scientific discoveries remain vital. Here are just some of the important
civilizations.

 Egyptians and Mesopotamians - Original documents written by scribes have been

found in Egypt. Though very few documents exist, they provide enough evidence of the
practical application of math. Mesopotamian clay tablets have also been found, which are
more complex than the Egyptian scrolls. Scribes were used in both Egypt and
Mesopotamia for record-keeping, management of works, tax accounting, and oversight of
military supplies and pay. The Rhind papyrus was scribed by Ahmes in the 17th century
BCE and is one of the oldest known mathematical documents. It provided tables of
division and answers to problems without the method or steps used to solve them.
Interestingly, Rhind papyrus is actually a copy made of a text which was at least two
centuries older. The problems are practical in nature, such as how to distribute bread as
wages or measure the area of a field.
 Greeks - Greek mathematicians expanded on the work of Egyptians and Babylonians by
developing a systematic way to study math. Pythagoras shared his famous theorem about
right-angled triangles around 530 BCE, while some cultures had known about it before. It
is important to know that before Alexander the Great, no mathematical documents were
preserved, save a few fragments. However, Euclid's Elements were translated into
Byzantine by the 10th century CE. Greeks divided math into two topics: arithmetic and
geometry. They used a numeral system similar to Roman numerals and used an abacus
since the 5th century BCE. Concepts like square roots and imaginary numbers became
interesting topics to study in ancient Greece.

 Chinese - Chinese mathematics prior to 476 BCE was based on mysticism and
astronomy. Numerals can be traced onto bones of tortoise shells as early as 1600 BCE.
The religious interpretation was also used to record astronomical occurrences. Ancient
Chinese mathematicians also developed the first abacus, or counting boards and rods, as
early as 476 BCE. An abacus uses numbers with digits and place values. It was used by
civil servants to calculate taxes, wages, and engineering solutions. This led to the creation
of a decimal system. Chinese scientists divided mathematics into two styles: practical and
theoretical. While practical problems included astrology, music theory, and other applied
concepts, it also expanded on the first noted use of negative numbers. Colored counting
rods were used to distinguish between gains and losses. Red represented a positive
number, and black represented a negative number. Liu Hui used a 192-sided polygon to
calculate the value of pi to a much more accurate number, which was 3.14159. By the
13th century CE, Qin Jiu Shao was able to solve quadratic and cubic equations, which
were unknown to the West until the 17th century

 Indian - The ancient language of India is Sanskrit, where information was passed down
orally for many centuries. Early writings were often done on palm branches and birch
bark, which did not last long. However, it is known that Indian mathematicians shared
their knowledge with the outside world. For example, historians believe Pythagoras
learned from an Indian textbook. Mathematicians in India had recognized the concept of
zero and infinity as a number rather than a placeholder. They also were aware of the
concept of prime numbers and had a base-60 for their decimal system. Trigonometry, as
well as the early foundations of Calculus, including concepts of sine and tangent,
originated in India.