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MODULE 1.1 (WEEK 1)

The document discusses the development of mathematics during the ancient period, focusing on the Sumerian mathematical system, which utilized a sexagesimal base-60 system. It highlights the significance of their numeral system, including the place value concept and the use of symbols for arithmetic operations. The Sumerians' mathematical advancements laid the groundwork for future cultures, influencing Greek mathematics and beyond.

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Lynmar Mae Angelia
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9 views

MODULE 1.1 (WEEK 1)

The document discusses the development of mathematics during the ancient period, focusing on the Sumerian mathematical system, which utilized a sexagesimal base-60 system. It highlights the significance of their numeral system, including the place value concept and the use of symbols for arithmetic operations. The Sumerians' mathematical advancements laid the groundwork for future cultures, influencing Greek mathematics and beyond.

Uploaded by

Lynmar Mae Angelia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 1

The Development of mathematics: ANCIENT PERIOD

At the end of the lesson, the pre service teacher (PST) should be able to:
• Discuss the development of mathematics in the ancient period
• Show the evolution of numeration systems in ancient times
• Recognize the symbols and notations used
• Perform the mathematical operations used in this period.

1 HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS| ANCIENT MATHEMATICS


Lesson 1
The Sumerian Mathematical System
Sumer (a region of Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq) was the birthplace of writing, the
wheel, agriculture, the arch, the plow, irrigation and many other innovations, and is
often referred to as the Cradle of Civilization. The Sumerians developed the earliest
known writing system - a pictographic writing system known as cuneiform script, using
wedge-shaped characters inscribed on baked clay tablets - and this has meant that we
actually have more knowledge of ancient Sumerian and Babylonian mathematics than of
early Egyptian mathematics. Indeed, we even have what appear to school exercises in
arithmetic and geometric problems.

The Sumerian System, called "sexagesimal", combined a mundane 10... with a


"celestial" 6, to obtain the base figure 60. This system is in some ways superior to our
present one, and much superior to later Greek and Roman systems. It enabled
Sumerians to divide into fractions and multiply into the million, to calculate roots or
raise numbers several powers.

2 HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS| ANCIENT MATHEMATICS


This was not only the first known mathematical system, but also one that gave us... the
"place" concept: Just as, (in the decimal system), 2 can be 2 or 20 or 200, depending
on the digits place, so could a Sumerian 2 mean 2, or 120 (2 x 60), and so on,
depending on the place.

The 360 degree circle, the foot and its 12 inches, and the "dozen" as a unit, are but a
few examples of the vestiges of Sumerian Mathematics, still evident in our daily lives.

Their achievements in Astronomy, the establishment of a calendar, and similar


mathematical feats will come up later.

This idea of using position to arrange integers, known as the principle of position, is the
first known use of such a system, the basis of our decimal system. This became lost
until the fifth or sixth century CE, and western culture used the unwieldy Roman system
of numbering, a tortuous and difficult system for performing math. Their system of
numbering implies that they may have understood zero but, until further evidence is
found, that remains largely conjectural.

The Sumerians, Babylonians and other inhabitants of the Euphrates valley certainly
made some sophisticated mathematical advances, developing the basis of arithmetic,
numerical notation and using fractions. Their work was adopted by the Greeks, and it is
likely that the Greeks learned mathematical techniques from the Babylonian culture, as
ideas traveled along the Silk Route from Anatolia (Turkey) to China. Alexander the
Great is known to have sent astronomical records from Babylonia to Aristotle after he
conquered the area.

Also, to represent the numbers 1 - 59 within each place value, two distinct symbols
were used, a unit symbol ( ) and a ten symbol ( ) which were combined in a similar
way to the familiar system of Roman< numerals (e.g. 23 would be shown as ).
Thus, represents 60 plus 23, or 83. However, the number 60 was represented by
the same symbol as the number 1 and, because they lacked an equivalent of the
decimal point, the actual place value of a symbol often had to be inferred from the
context.

How to write Babylonian numbers?


The number is written in base 60, the 60 digits are broken down into vertical
bars (often noted |) which are worth one unit (1) and chevrons (often noted <)
which are worth ten (10) in base 10.
The power change of sixty (601=60, 602=3600, 603=216000 etc.) is represented by a
space.
Example: 23 is written with 2 tenths and 3 units so <<||| or
Example: 61 is written 1 sixtieth and 1 unit as | | or (with a space separator)

3 HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS| ANCIENT MATHEMATICS


How to convert Babylonian numbers?
Converting is easy by counting symbols and considering it in base 60 to get numbers
into classical Hindu-Arabic notation.
Example: <<||| is 2 < and 3 | so 2×10+3×1=23
Example: | | (note the space) is 1 | and then 1 | so 1×60+1=61
How to write the number zero 0?
Babylonians did not use the zero (this concept had not been invented), but from the
3rd century they used the symbol

4 HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS| ANCIENT MATHEMATICS

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