History of Mathematics

EGYPT
3 Subtopics in Egyptian Mathematics

1. NUMBER SYSTEM 3. GEOMETRY

AND
COMPUTATION

2. LINEAR EQUATION AND

PROPORTIONAL
REASONING
1. NUMBER SYSTEM AND COMPUTATION
• Hieroglyphic System
The Egyptians had a decimal system using
seven different symbols.

1 is shown by a single stroke.

10 is shown by a drawing of a hobble for cattle.
100 is represented by a coil of rope.
1,000 a drawing of a lotus plant.
10,000 is represented by a finger.
100,000 a tadpole or frog
1,000,000 figure of a god with arms raised above
his head EGYPTIANS DEVELOPED TWO DIFFERENT NUMBER SYSTEMS,
ONE FOR EACH OF THEIR TWO WRITING STYLES

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
 10,000 + 2,000 + 600 + 40 + 3
= 12,643

(Note that the usual practice was to put the smaller digits on the left.)
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
COMPUTATION
 Hieratic System
• In contrast to the hieroglyphic,
HIERATIC SYSTEM is an example of a
CIPHERED SYSTEM. Here each
number from 1 to 9 had a specific
symbol, as did each multiple of 10 from
10 to 90 and each multiple of 100 from
100 to 900, and so on.

EGYPTIANS DEVELOPED TWO DIFFERENT NUMBER SYSTEMS, ONE FOR EACH OF THEIR TWO WRITING STYLES

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
 ADDITION
IN EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPHICS, ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION ARE QUITE
SIMPLE: COMBINE THE UNITS, THEN THE TENS, THEN THE HUNDREDS, AND
SO ON. WHENEVER A GROUP OF TEN OF ONE TYPE OF SYMBOL APPEARS,
REPLACE IT BY ONE OF THE NEXT. HENCE, TO ADD 783 AND 275,

783 + 275 = 1,058

=1,058
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
COMPUTATION
 SUBTRACTION

Subtraction is done similarly. Whenever

“borrowing” is needed, one of the
783 symbols would be converted to ten of the
next lower symbol. Such a simple

- algorithm for addition and subtraction is

not possible in the hieratic system.
Probably, the scribes simply memorized
275 basic addition tables.

508
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
COMPUTATION
(CONTINUAL DOUBLING PROCESS)
MULTIPLICATION
12 x 13
A. B.

1 12 12

2 24

4 48 48

8 96 96
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
13 156 COMPUTATION
 MULTIPLICATION
22 x 18

1 22

2 44 44
4 88

8 176

16 352 352
18 396
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
COMPUTATION
(INVERSE OF MULTIPLICATION) DIVISION
396 22

44 - 44 = 0

396 - 352 = 44
18 396

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
• Of course, division does not
always “come out even.” When it
did not, the Egyptians resorted to:

FRACTIONS
NUMBER SYSTEM AND
COMPUTATION
 HIEROGLYPHIC FRACTIONS

All ancient Egyptian fractions, with

the exception of 2/3 (special
fraction), are unit fractions, that is
fractions with numerator 1.

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
Egyptian fractions is the sum of distinct unit fractions.

For example, problem 3 of the Rhind

Mathematical Papyrus asks how to divide 6
loaves among 10 men.

The answer is given that each man gets

½ and 1/10 of the loaves.

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
 GREEDY ALGORITHM
FOR FINDING EGYPTIAN FRACTIONS
At every stage, write down the
largest possible unit fraction that is
smaller than the fraction you are
working on.
For Example : 11/12
11/12 = ½ + 5/12
Decompose 5/12

NUMBER SYSTEM AND

COMPUTATION
The Egyptians more common technique of solving
linear equations is what you call

FALSE POSITION
It is a method of assuming a convenient but
probably incorrect answer and adjusting it by using
proportionality.

LINEAR EQUATIONS AND

PROPORTIONAL REASONING
2. LINEAR EQUATIONS AND
PROPORTIONAL REASONING

LINEAR EQUATION AND

PROPORTIONAL
REASONING
3. GEOMETRY

King [Sesostri, ca. 2000 a. C.] distributed

the land among all of the Egyptians, each
one having an equal lot in a square shape,
and from these subdivisions obtained
tribute, having imposed an annual
payment. If the river bore away a part, the
owner announced the loss, and officials
were sent to observe the extent to which
the plot had been diminished for the
purpose of adjusting the tribute payment.

GEOMETRY
Egyptian geometry
experts used to tighten
ropes on the land to
mark lines and circles,
and are called,

Arpedonapti

GEOMETRY
Because one of the prominent forms of
building in Egypt was the pyramid, one might
expect to find a formula for its volume.
Unfortunately, such a formula does not appear
in any extant document. The Rhind Papyrus
does have several problems dealing with the
seked (slope) of a pyramid.

GEOMETRY
THANK YOU!