The History of Mathematics: The Antiquity of the Egyptian Mathematics
The development of Egyptian civilizations began around
7000 BCE. Many buildings such as pyramids, sphinx, and the
temple at Memphis are the proofs of the superiority of the Egyptians on 3100 BCE. These buildings also indicate that at least they
knew mathematical concepts in practical. In fact, many evidences like hieratic
papyrus and Rhind collections of the British museum indeed shows that the
Egyptians knew arithmetic and geometry. This mathematical concepts are crafted
in the font of hieratic, hieroglyph, or demotic on papyrus loaves, leather, or
clay tablet.
The most important aspect of their mathematical development is their numeration system. It was said the invention of numerals symbols was in around 3500 BCE. There were two kinds of numerals symbols which are hieroglyph and hieratic. Each type represents numbers differently. The concept of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division was already mastered in 1800 BCE according to the discovery of Moscow and Rhind mathematical papyrus. In addition, they also used unit fraction as the result of uneven division except 2/3 due to its familiarity. In 1600 BCE, they were already able to do addition, subtraction, and doubling on unit fractions.
In the same papyrus, Moscow and Rhind mathematical papyrus, the people of Egypt also wrote the problems of linear equation, proportion, and geometry. Some problems such as problems 19, 26 and 35, dealt with concept that is known as linear equation of one variable. In geometry, the Egyptians tried to find the area of isosceles triangle, of which the sides measures 10 ruths and the base 4 ruths, which was erroneously became 20 squares ruths. The area of trapezoid and circle also had been found even the formula is still only the approximation of the real area. For the trapezoid, it was written as the product of the sum of parallel sides and one of the non-parallel sides. On the other hand, the area of a circle is very close to the current knowledge, they took pi which equals to (16/9)^2 = 3.1604. Furthermore, the Egyptian was also familiar with the property of the right triangle for the special case when the sides are in the ratio 3 : 4 : 5.
The other evidence of the development of geometry is from the walls of the celebrated temple of Horus at Edfu. This hieroglyphic writing was approximately 100 B.C., which explained about the area of quadrilateral. It is said that the formula [(a+b)/2][(c+d)/2] can be used to find the area of any quadrilateral. In addition, the Egyptian also found the procedure to find the volume of a truncated pyramid and the surface area of a hemisphere. However, how they obtain these formula is still remained mystery.
Overall, during their era since 3500 BCE, the Egyptian developed some mathematical concept like number system, arithmetic, linear equation, proportion, and geometry.
The most important aspect of their mathematical development is their numeration system. It was said the invention of numerals symbols was in around 3500 BCE. There were two kinds of numerals symbols which are hieroglyph and hieratic. Each type represents numbers differently. The concept of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division was already mastered in 1800 BCE according to the discovery of Moscow and Rhind mathematical papyrus. In addition, they also used unit fraction as the result of uneven division except 2/3 due to its familiarity. In 1600 BCE, they were already able to do addition, subtraction, and doubling on unit fractions.
In the same papyrus, Moscow and Rhind mathematical papyrus, the people of Egypt also wrote the problems of linear equation, proportion, and geometry. Some problems such as problems 19, 26 and 35, dealt with concept that is known as linear equation of one variable. In geometry, the Egyptians tried to find the area of isosceles triangle, of which the sides measures 10 ruths and the base 4 ruths, which was erroneously became 20 squares ruths. The area of trapezoid and circle also had been found even the formula is still only the approximation of the real area. For the trapezoid, it was written as the product of the sum of parallel sides and one of the non-parallel sides. On the other hand, the area of a circle is very close to the current knowledge, they took pi which equals to (16/9)^2 = 3.1604. Furthermore, the Egyptian was also familiar with the property of the right triangle for the special case when the sides are in the ratio 3 : 4 : 5.
The other evidence of the development of geometry is from the walls of the celebrated temple of Horus at Edfu. This hieroglyphic writing was approximately 100 B.C., which explained about the area of quadrilateral. It is said that the formula [(a+b)/2][(c+d)/2] can be used to find the area of any quadrilateral. In addition, the Egyptian also found the procedure to find the volume of a truncated pyramid and the surface area of a hemisphere. However, how they obtain these formula is still remained mystery.
Overall, during their era since 3500 BCE, the Egyptian developed some mathematical concept like number system, arithmetic, linear equation, proportion, and geometry.
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