Discuss the contributions of Chinese mathematics.

Chinese mathematics originally developed to aid record keeping, land surveying, and building. Chinese
mathematics was, like their language, very concise. It was a very much problem based, motivated by
problems of the calendar, trade, land measurement, architecture, government records and taxes. By the
fourth century BC counting boards were used for calculating, which effectively meant that a decimal
place valued number system was in use. It is worth noting that counting boards are uniquely Chinese,
and do not appear to have been used by any other civilization.

Due to historical and philosophical reasons, Chinese mathematics took quite a different path
than its Western counterpart: Chinese mathematics was focused on algebra and practical applications
instead of geometry and theoretical reasoning.

By the 100's B.C., the Chinese had devised a decimal system of numbers that included fractions,
zero, and negative numbers. They solved arithmetic problems with the aid of special sticks called
counting rods. The Chinese also used these devices to solve equations even groups of simultaneous
equations in several unknowns.

According to the 3000 year old oracle bones, however, the Chinese used some sort of decimal
notation from the very beginning. For example, 656 on the oracle bones was written like six hundred,
five tens, six. Where the symbol for 6 and the symbol for 100 were combined to a single symbol and
likewise for the 5 and 10. However, if one thinks about this notation and recalls that many words in
Chinese are written with a single symbol, one will recognize that this notation should rather be
compared to our alphabetical notation than the numerical, like we would write six hundred and fifty-six.
This may explain why it was easier for the Chinese to work with a decimal system, since their writing of
numbers was already pretty short in words, while western mathematicians preferred a shorter notation.

Perhaps the best-known early Chinese mathematical work is the Chiu Chang Suan Shu (Nine
Chapters on the Mathematical Art), a handbook of practical problems that was compiled in the first two
centuries B.C. In 263 A.D., the Chinese mathematician Liu Hui wrote a commentary on the book. Liu
Hui gave a more mathematical approach than earlier Chinese texts, providing principles on which his
calculations are based.
 Among Liu Hui's greatest achievements was his analysis of a mathematical statement called the
GouGu theorem. The theorem, known as the Pythagorean theorem in the West, describes a special
relationship that exists between the sides of a right triangle. In his treatise in Haidao suanjing or Sea
Island Mathematical Manual which was originally an appendix to his commentary on Chapter 9 of
the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, Liu uses Pythagoras's theorem to calculate heights of
objects and distances to objects which cannot be measured directly. This was to become one of the
themes of Chinese mathematics.

Beside that, Liu Hui also calculated the value of pi more accurately than ever before. He found
approximations to π using regular polygons with 3 × 2n sides inscribed in a circle. His best approximation
of π was 3.14159 (correct to five decimal places) which he achieved from a regular polygon of 3072
sides. It is clear that he understood iterative processes and the notion of a limited became the first
mathematicians known to leave roots unevaluated, giving more exact results instead of approximations
as well as developing a very early form of both integral and differential calculus.

Zu Chongzhi also one of the famous chinese mathematician. One of the most significant
advances made by him was he made accurate observations which he used to produce a new calendar,
the Taming Calendar (Calendar of Great Brightness), which was based on a cycle of 391 years. He
produced this calendar along with his son, Zu Geng. Besides that, he also wrote the Zhui shu (Method of
Interpolation) in which he proved that 3.1415926 < π < 3.1415927. He recommended using 355/113 as a
good approximation and 22/7 in less accurate work. With his son Zu Geng he computed the formula for
the volume of a sphere using Cavalieri's principle.

The beginnings of Chinese algebra is seen in the work of Wang Xiaotong (about 580 - about
640). He wrote the Jigu suanjing (Continuation of Ancient Mathematics), a text with only 20 problems
which later became one of the Ten Classics. He solved cubic equations by extending an algorithm for
finding cube roots. His work is seen as a first step towards the "tian yuan" or "coefficient array method"
or "method of the celestial unknown" of Li Zhi for computing with polynomials.

The next major mathematical advance was by Qin Jiushao who wrote his famous mathematical
treatise Shushu Jiuzhang (Mathematical Treatise in Nine Sections) which appeared in 1247. The treatise
contains remarkable work on the Chinese remainder theorem, gives an equation whose coefficients are
variables and, among other results, Heron's formula for the area of a triangle. Equations up to degree
ten are solved using the Ruffini-Hornermethod.
 In calculation, Yang Hui produced a triangular representation of binomial coefficients identical
to the later Pascals’ Triangle, and was perhaps the first to use decimal fractions in the modern form,
which is known as Yang Hui's Triangle. Besides that, Yang also worked on magic squares and magic
circles.

Conclusion
Several factors led to the development of mathematics in China being, for a long period, independent of
developments in other civilisations. The geographical nature of the country meant that there were
natural boundaries (mountains and seas) which isolated it. On the other hand, when the country was
conquered by foreign invaders, they were assimilated into the Chinese culture rather than changing the
culture to their own. As a consequence there was a continuous cultural development in China from
around 1000 BC and it is fascinating to trace mathematical development within that culture

Chinese mathematics was, like their language, very concise. It was very much problem based,
motivated by problems of the calendar, trade, land measurement, architecture, government records
and taxes. By the fourth century BC counting boards were used for calculating, which effectively meant
that a decimal place valued number system was in use. It is worth noting that counting boards are
uniquely Chinese, and do not appear to have been used by any other civilisation.