Week 2 3 1glimpse of Math history-REVISED-1

Mathematics Education
Mathematics and Civilizations
The history of mathematics is interwoven with the

history of human civilization.lopment of mathematics
education.
Now there is one predominant international
mathematics, and this mathematics has quite a long
history. It has roots in ancient Babylonia, China,
Egypt, Greece and Indian subcontinent.
Attempts to improve the teaching and learning of
mathematics were going on from time immemorial
From where and when?
Counting was carried out long before the dawn of any
civilization. But mere counting (i.e., early counting of
the prehistoric period) is no mathematics.
Once we accept this, the origin of the first

mathematics can be traced back to some 5000 years
or so.
"Mathematics began with the creation or invention of

number symbols or numerals.”
A Story of Complete Fabrication(1)
‘Mathematics is a European invention’

Mathematics has long been considered an
invention of European scholars, as a result of
which the contributions of non-European
countries have been severely neglected in the
histories of mathematics. Worse still, many key
mathematical developments have been wrongly
attributed to scholars of European origin. This
has led to so-called Eurocentrism.
A Story of Complete Fabrication(2)
‘Mathematics is a European invention’
Even simple arithmetical operations were not known

or could not be performed in the European number
system before the introduction of the Hindu-Arabic
decimal system some 1000 years ago.
The Ancient World (1)
Babylonian Mathematics
The Babylonian civilization replaced that of the
Sumerians from around 2000 BC. So, Babylonian
Mathematics, inherited from the Sumerians, cannot be
older than that of Sumerian mathematics. Counting in
Sumerian civilization was based on a sexagesimal
system, that is to say base 60. It was a positional
system one of the greatest achievement in the
development of the number system Babylonians used
only two symbols to produce their base 60 positional
system.
Note: Continuation of discussion about this topic is in a separate presentation
Chinese Mathematics
Number names, number symbols, arithmetical

computations, traditional decimal notation go back to
the origin of Chinese writing.
The number system which was used to express this

numerical information was based on the decimal system
and was both additive and multiplicative in nature.

Egyptian Mathematics
About 3000 BC the Egyptians developed their
hieroglyphic writing (picture writing) to write
numerals This was a base 10 system without a
zero symbol. It was not a place value system.
The numerals are formed by putting together
the basic symbols .
The Egyptian number systems were not well

suited for arithmetical calculations.

Greek Mathematics
In the first millennium BC, the Greeks had no single
national standard numerals.
The first Greek number system is an acrophonic system.

The word 'Acrophonic' means that the symbols for the
numerals come from the first letter of the number name.
The system was based on the additive principle.
A second ancient Greek number system is the
alphabetical system. It is sometimes called the 'learned'
system. As the name 'alphabetical' suggests, the
numerals are based on giving values to the letters of the
alphabet .
Hindu Mathematics
The evidence of the first use of mathematics in the

Indian subcontinent was found in the Indus valley and
dates back to at least 3000 BC. Excavations at
Mohenjodaro and Harrapa, and the surrounding area of
the Indus River, have uncovered much evidence of the
use of basic mathematics. The maths used by this early
Harrapan civilization was very much for practical means,
and was primarily concerned with weights, measuring
scales and a surprisingly advanced 'brick technology',
(which utilized ratios). The ratio for brick dimensions
4:2:1 is even today considered optimal for effective
bonding
A New Wave of Fabrication
‘Mathematics is a Hindu creation’

Not only the fundamental concepts of Ganit
(Mathematics) such as those of counting numbers,
zero and infinity but also various arithmetical and
algebraic operations are being claimed to have
been present in the Hindu Granth Vedah some 6000
years ago a time when there was nothing like
Hindusthan, Hindu, Hindi and the Devanagari script
verson of Vedah. This is a total lie. If there is
anything that is worth mentioning, they are the
ones found in the excavation of Mohenjadaro and
Harrapa which did not belong to what is known
today as India.
Nepalese Mathematics (1)
Record written in Bramhi and Nepal Bhasa (Bhujimol)

scripts and in the brick found while reconstructing the
Dhando Stupa at Chabahil (Kathmandu) 2003 testifies
that counting numbers were used in Nepal as early as
3rd century B.C.
The Lichhavian numerals used in the beginning of the
last millennium is both additive and multiplicative. It
was decimal in nature. There exists a complete analogy
between the Lichhavian number system and the 14th
Century B.C. Chinese system both in form and technique
of writing numbers using numerals.
Nepalese Mathematics (2)
The extremely artistic ways of writing

numerals together with the various shaped
objects placed symmetrically or
asymmetrically in the ancient temples of Nepal
do show that Nepalese people had not only the
knowledge of various geometric shapes
(supposed to have been discovered by
Westerners) but also their practical use long
long ago. They further show their skill in
measurement and power of reproduction of
congruent copies.
Medieval Mathematics (1)
(320 – 1660 AD)
Britain and European Mathematics
The collapse of Rome and the general chaos that followed

has no great advancements in the mathematical
community in it.. The Dark ages and then the Middle Ages
were upon the land and civilization let alone the science
of mathematics was having trouble surviving the times .
Schools were reduced to little or no arithmetic, it is

doubtful whether few knew more than basic counting and
finger reckoning.
(320 – 1660 AD)
In the period from 300AD to 1600AD there

existed two major sub-divisions, the early
Middle Ages, or Dark Ages (from 300AD to
1100AD) and the late Middle Ages, just before
the Renaissance. In the early Middle Ages
mathematics made no progress, but in the late
Middle Ages there were a few advances and
much of what had been forgotten from the
ancient world was rediscovered and re-
evaluated
A Glimpse of the History of Mathematics (15)
(320 – 1660 AD)
The so called 'classical period', or 'Golden era' of

Indian mathematics.
From the earliest numerate civilisation of the Indus
valley, through the scholars of the 5th to 12th
centuries who were conversant in arithmetic, algebra,
trigonometry, geometry combinatorics and latterly
differential calculus, Indian scholars led the world in
the field of mathematics. The peak coming between
the 14th and 16th centuries in the far South, where
scholars were the first to derive infinite series
expansions of trigonometric functions
The work of Bhaskara was considered the highest
point Indian mathematics attained, and it was long
considered that Indian mathematics ceased after that
point.
(320 –1660 AD)
Arabic Mathematics : Forgotten brilliance?
Many of the ideas which were previously thought to have

been brilliant new conceptions due to European
mathematicians of the sixteenth, seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries are now known to have been
developed by Arabic/Islamic mathematicians around four
centuries earlier.
The period after the Late Middle Ages saw the rise of
maths again as a science worth a second glance and many
educated men throughout Europe took up the challenge of
relearning the "Wisdom of the Ancients".
Renaissance Mathematics(1)
In England, Robert Recorde wrote what is thought to be

the first series of textbooks in English. These were not
intended for the highly educated mathematician but for
the common man seeking to improve his understanding
of such subjects as the Hindu-Arabic numeral system,
conversions between weights and coins, computation
with counters which would aid their work in trade and
commerce
The quality and the quantity of teaching still varied

hugely, and a significant number of students entering
Oxford and Cambridge in the 1630's still had no prior
knowledge of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system
Renaissance Mathematics(2)
Once the European community based their

study, research and application on the Hindu-
Arabic Number System, their contributions to the
theory and application of mathematics grew
tremendously during the latter part of the
seventeenth century.
During the same period, worldwide usage of
the Hindu-Arabic number system proved to be a
boon for both mathematics and the whole of
human society.
Progress towards the calculus continued with
Fermat, who, together with Pascal, began the
mathematical study of probability. However the
calculus was to be the topic of most significance
to evolve in the 17th Century
18th – 19th Centuries (1)
Newton developed the calculus into a

tool to push forward the study of nature.
His work contained a wealth of new
discoveries showing the interaction
between mathematics, physics and
astronomy. Newton's theory of
gravitation and his theory of light take us
into the 18th Century.
Leibniz, much more rigorous approach to
the calculus, was to set the scene for the
mathematical work of the 18th Century
rather than that of Newton.
 The most important mathematician of the 18th
Century was Euler who, in addition to work in a
wide range of mathematical areas, was to invent
two new branches, namely the calculus of
variations and differential geometry. Euler was
also important in pushing forward with research in
number theory begun so effectively by Fermat.
 Toward the end of the 18th Century, Lagrange was

to begin a rigorous theory of functions and of
mechanics. The period around the turn of the
century saw Laplace's great work on celestial
mechanics as well as major progress in synthetic
geometry by Monge and Carnot.
The 1800s—societal emphasis Mathematics
teaching mainly meant arithmetic and basic
geometry--skills needed for daily life. Specialized
content might be learned on the job or in special
academies. There was little formal teacher education
until late in the century.
Children in U.K. were once again enjoined to go

to school, but could leave the educational system
once they could read, write and had an elementary
knowledge of Arithmetic. It was now generally
accepted that some level of understanding of
Mathematics was absolutely necessary for modern
life, and there were few schools who did not give
Mathematics a place in a student's timetable of
classes.
By 1823, while Augustus De Morgan was at

Cambridge, the analytical methods and
notation of differential calculus made their
way into the course
The 19th Century saw rapid progress.
Fourier's work on heat was of fundamental
importance. In geometry Plücker produced
fundamental work on analytic geometry and
Steiner in synthetic geometry.
 Progress towards the calculus continued

with Fermat, who, together with Pascal,
began the mathematical study of
probability. However the calculus was to be
the topic of most Non-euclidean geometry
developed by Lobachevsky and Bolyai led to
characterisation of geometry by Riemann.
Gauss, thought by some to be the greatest
mathematician of all time, studied
quadratic reciprocity and integer
congruences. His work in differential
geometry was to revolutionise the topic. He
also contributed in a major way to
astronomy and magnetism.
 The 19th Century saw the work of Galois on

equations and his insight into the path that
mathematics would follow in studying
fundamental operations. Galois' introduction
of the group concept was to herald in a new
direction for mathematical research which
has continued through the 20th Century.
 Cauchy, building on the work of Lagrange on
functions, began rigorous analysis and began
the study of the theory of functions of a
complex variable. This work would continue
through Weierstrass and Riemann.
 Algebraic geometry was carried

forward by Cayley whose work on
matrices and linear algebra
complemented that by Hamilton
and Grassmann. Cantor invent set
theory almost single handedly
while his analysis of the concept of
number added to the major work
of Dedekind and Weierstrass on
irrational numbers
 Lie's work on differential equations led

to the study of topological groups and
differential topology. Maxwell was to
revolutionise the application of analysis
to mathematical physics. Statistical
mechanics was developed by Maxwell,
Boltzmann and Gibbs. It led to ergodic
theory.
 The study of electrostatics and potential
theory. By Fredholm led to Hilbert and
the development of functional analysis.
END OF DISCUSSION
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Mathematics Education

Mathematics and Civilizations

The history of mathematics is interwoven with the

Once we accept this, the origin of the first

"Mathematics began with the creation or invention of

‘Mathematics is a European invention’

A Story of Complete Fabrication(2)

‘Mathematics is a European invention’

Even simple arithmetical operations were not known

Number names, number symbols, arithmetical

The number system which was used to express this

Note: Continuation of discussion about this topic is in a separate presentation

The Egyptian number systems were not well

Note: Continuation of discussion about this topic is in a separate presentation

The first Greek number system is an acrophonic system.

The evidence of the first use of mathematics in the

‘Mathematics is a Hindu creation’

Record written in Bramhi and Nepal Bhasa (Bhujimol)

The extremely artistic ways of writing

Britain and European Mathematics

The collapse of Rome and the general chaos that followed

Schools were reduced to little or no arithmetic, it is

In the period from 300AD to 1600AD there

The so called 'classical period', or 'Golden era' of

Arabic Mathematics : Forgotten brilliance?

Many of the ideas which were previously thought to have

In England, Robert Recorde wrote what is thought to be

The quality and the quantity of teaching still varied

Once the European community based their

Newton developed the calculus into a

 Toward the end of the 18th Century, Lagrange was

Children in U.K. were once again enjoined to go

By 1823, while Augustus De Morgan was at

 Progress towards the calculus continued

 The 19th Century saw the work of Galois on

 Algebraic geometry was carried

 Lie's work on differential equations led

Prepare for the short Quiz

You might also like