The History of Babylonian Mathematics

If past scholars could do complex proofs without the aid of today’s technological advancements, I do not think it is nonsensical to expect a student of algebra to be able to graph a function with pencil and paper. Although many may feel I have focused on what is wrong with technology, they are mistaken. Technology itself is a good thing; it is only through poor instruction that technology becomes a vice. The most important word that NCTM uses to summarize its technology principle is “enhance.” Technology is meaningless without proper instruction, but with an excellent guide, the mathematical possibilities are endless. According to NCTM, “Students can learn more mathematics more deeply with the appropriate and responsible use of technology.” It is necessary for technology to be used appropriately and responsibly.

The History of Imaginary Numbers The origin of imaginary numbers dates back to the ancient Greeks. Although, at one time they believed that all numbers were rational numbers. Through the years mathematicians would not accept the fact that equations could have solutions that were less than zero. Those type of numbers are what we refer to today as negative numbers. Unfortunately, because of the lack of knowledge of negative numbers, many equations over the centuries seemed to be unsolvable.

Assyria lost its independence to a dynasty of Amorite. Then Hammurabi of Babylon took over and established himself ruler of Assyria. The collapse of Hammurabi's Old Babylonian dynasty gave Assyria only temporary relief. It soon fell under the control of the Mitanni, until that state was destroyed by the Hittites c.1350 BC. The Early Neo-Assyrian Period (c.1200-600 BC) After the collapse of Mittanni, Assyria regained its independence and was able to hold it thanks to the weakness of its neighbors.

Leibniz added a cylinder with ridges of incremental length which allowed the calculator to do more than just add. Known as the Leibniz wheel, it was the basis of another of his inventions, the Stepped Reckoner. It was the first calculator that could perform all four arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. The device was inaccurate due to the inferior technology of his time, and could not automatically multiply or divide; the process the machine takes to multiply is to repeatedly add the n... ... middle of paper ... ...ing ways to calculate math easier and more efficient than by hand. Early inventions like the abacus and slide ruler proved useful, but the need for a mechanized solution was made more evident as time passed and needs for faster calculating increased.

Assyrian Military Practices Assyrians were one of the most dominating warlike people in the history of the Ancient Near East. Famous for their cruelty and love for violence the Assyrians came to great power. Originating in around 2400 BC the Assyrian forces grew to become the most powerful force in the entire world. Assyria became the greatest empire and first supreme military power in history. Born out of the Mesopotamian Empire from the city of Ashur.

After thirty years as ruler, he became involved in many military campaigns to gain control over most of Mesopotamia and the surrounding areas. These invasions provided Hammurabi tremendous political control which led to the establishment of a centralized government in Babylon. Babylon had reached a height in its cultural civilization and political power. His government managed national defense, justice policies, agricultural production, and collection of taxes. Throughout history, many civilizations have endured through a system of social, political, religious, and economic laws and rituals.

There is a common misconception among math teachers they “believe that mathematics revolves around numbers and formulas, not words” (Freitag 20). However that is not true, writing is very important for the understanding of mathematical concepts. Math is all about algorithms and solving equations, but you need to be able to use writing to explain your thought process. This includes knowing specific mathematical vocabulary to show the process of solving the algorithms. For many math teachers it is hard to write out the steps that you do so naturally in your head because it has become second nature.

From a humanist stand point, I do not think the future is bright but from a computer development stand point, the future look endless. The computer was first thought up by a guy named Alan Turing who figured there could be a machine that could do mathematical equations without human interaction. Without the technology available, this thought was just that, a thought. However, in the 1930’s IBM built a calculating machine called the Mark I. Although still not quite a computer because it had to read punch cards, it would set the stage for the future.

People began to have a drive to find more about the irrational numbers. Euler put a symbol with Π and e, but he was not the first to discover these wonderful numbers that help people in every day activities and jobs. Works Cited Burton, D. (2011). The History of Mathematics: An Introduction. (Seventh Ed.)

Many scientists use math that can be accurate but uncertain, and this can further prevent them from reaching 'complete certainty.' Relations between areas of knowledge in broad make it hard to state whether 'complete certainty' is even remotely possible in natural sciences and in mathematics. “As the physicist Richard Feynman once said: 'Science is a long history of learning how not to fool ourselves. '” It is this very quote into why the natural sciences and mathematics have had a great success into finding 'complete certainties.' That limit on their extent however, can only become less and less as we advance in technologies and realize where we can improve on our errors and fallacies.