An ancient Egyptian papyrus from around 1550 BC, used to train scribes. It contains 84 different calculations to help with various aspects of Egyptian life, from pyramid building to working out how much grain it takes to fatten a goose. Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, looks at man’s early experiments with numbers and discovers how the Egyptians’ understanding of mathematics enabled them to build a state machine, which could manage food supplies and even compute the flood levels of the Nile.
A History of the World in 100 Objects: Rhind Mathematical Papyrus
Tagged with history egypt mathematics
Possibly related…
-
A Brief History of Mathematics 2: Leonard Euler
The man who calculated as other men breathe. Professor Marcus du Sautoy on the mathematical omnivore without whom no history of mathematics is complete.
-
Elections, Repression, Succession, and the Future of Egypt - FPRI
This presentation was part of Teaching The Middle East: Between Authoritarianism And Reform, a History Institute for Teachers. October 15, 2011 http://www.fpri.org/multimedia/20111015.trager.egypt.html
-
Egypt’s Military Custodianship
Nearly a year after the fall of Egypt’s long-time dictator, the countryâs military remains in control but has promised to transfer power by July. January 18, 2012 http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2012/01/18/egypt-s-military-custodianship/8ypb