An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
Pre-History and Mesopotamia
J. Dylan Schofield
Boise State University
April 2, 2015
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Coming Attractions
1
2
3
4
An Overview
Why Math and History shouldn’t be taught together
Before Greece
Before Western Civilization
The Gist of Prehistoric Math
Significance
The Ishango Bone
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Entering Civilization
Why Math Exists
Because Babylon is not an indoor sport with hoops
Closer
In Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Question Time
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Why Math and History shouldn’t be taught together
Before Greece
Why Math and History shouldn’t be taught together
The history of mathematics is...
long.
confusing.
still debated.
Obviously, with such examples as Pythagoras, Euclid, and
Archimedes, we know that mathematics was a pretty solid science
in Western culture by the time of Ancient Greece.
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Why Math and History shouldn’t be taught together
Before Greece
Before Greece, and into Uncharted Waters
There are three periods/locations of Western civilization to
examine prior to Ancient Greece.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Mesopotamia
Prehistoric times
Let us today focus on prehistoric times and Ancient Mesopotamia.
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
The Gist of Prehistoric Math
Significance
The Ishango Bone
Mein Gott, he can’t be serious, can he...?
Prehistoric mathematics refers to mathematical operations prior to
the beginnings of recorded history in approx. 3,500 BCE. A few
descriptive traits:
No multiplicative operations
Very few additive operations
Mostly counting and tallying
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
The Gist of Prehistoric Math
Significance
The Ishango Bone
And your point being?
Despite the lack of “advanced” operations, concepts worthy of
note from a mathematical standpoint can still be observed in
prehistoric times.
The Ishango bone
Language concepts
Geometric patterns
What’s more, the lack of mathematical concepts prior to the
beginnings of agriculture and trade suggest a connection between
the two.
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
The Gist of Prehistoric Math
Significance
The Ishango Bone
The Ishango Bone
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Entering Civilization
Why Math Exists
Because Babylon is not an indoor sport with hoops
Now, back to our scheduled program
In the previous section, we discussed mathematics (or the lack
thereof) before the dawn of “civilized” man. To determine where
mathematics got its start and why, we turn to Ancient
Mesopotamia.
The Sumerians are given credit for giving many great contributions
to humankind:
Invention of the city-state
Advances in agriculture
Invention of the written word
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Entering Civilization
Why Math Exists
Because Babylon is not an indoor sport with hoops
The world’s first word problems
This last point seems a bit important. Why did the Sumerians
develop writing?
The old way
“I got an idea!”
The birth of cuneiform script
Denouement
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
Entering Civilization
Why Math Exists
Because Babylon is not an indoor sport with hoops
Because Babylon is not an indoor sport with hoops
As the earliest mathematics in Sumer is still under great debate,
mathematicians tend to study Old Babylonian mathematics, as
there is solid evidence about how much the science had progressed
by that point.
Notation
Math “grammar”
A little problem solving
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
In Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Question Time
IN CONCLUSION...
Subject has listed the three periods of mathematics prior to
the birth of Ancient Greece.
Subject has discussed the evidence of prehistoric math.
Subject has explained the details surrounding origins of
mathematics.
Subject has racked yet another point to the Sumerians.
Subject has demonstrated examples of how mathematics
problems were handled in Old Babylon.
Subject has created slide titles that would make George Carlin
turn in his grave and then puke.
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
In Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Question Time
To Avoid the Lawyers
Here’s a few of the books and websites I consulted to create this
presentation.
Katz, Victor J.“Egypt and Mesopotamia.” A History of
Mathematics. Brief ed. New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
1-24. Print.
Mastin, Luke. ”Prehistoric Mathematics.” The Story of
Mathematics. 1 Jan. 2010. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.storyofmathematics.com/prehistoric.html>.
Bhugra, Ankita, Anu Meha, and Thulasi K. Raj. ”Major
Inventions in Ancient Mesopotamia.” Ancient
Mesopotamians. 14 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.ancientmesopotamians.com/ancientmesopotamian-inventions.html>.
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization
An Overview
Before Western Civilization
Sumerian and Babylonian Mathematics
Closer
In Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Question Time
I know you’re only clapping because it’s over
Thank you!
Any questions?
J. Dylan Schofield
The Birth of Mathematics in Western civilization