History of Mathematics
Understanding the history of mathematics
Children will likely learn their basic math
skills in school but most K-12 curriculums overlook the history
of mathematics itself. This subject may prove especially helpful
to a child experiencing challenges in math, as they will see
that the subject has been a culmination of years of hard work
and discovery, a process built upon by bright and industrious
individuals.
The term “mathematics” originates from Greek root
words that tell us that the subject, at its heart, is about
learning, not about numbers. Mathematics did not develop out
of idleness and boredom but instead out of a human desire
for organization, a need to measure, calculate, estimate,
and make everyday activities more efficient. The counting
of basic supplies and necessities- crops, food and animals
- led to the more complex counting of time, eventually leading
to days, seasons and years. As human civilizations developed
and grew, so did the need for math. Every science relies upon
basic mathematical rules in its practice.
Each culture has had its own important developments in mathematics.
Babylonian mathematicians, working in 2000 B.C.E., developed
theories that were later tested and built upon by dedicated
Greek thinkers. Indian mathematicians working from 1500-1600
C.E. developed the concepts of zero and infinity as well as
negative, irrational, and binary numbers. The Arab countries
were known to use three different types of counting systems
in the eleventh century: finger-reckoning arithmetic, the
sexagesimal system, and the Indian numeral system. The finger-reckoning
system had numbers written in words and counting done on fingers.
The business community prevailing at that time made extensive
use of this system. The sexagesimal system used numerals denoted
by letters of the Arabic alphabet and was primarily used by
Arabic mathematicians for astronomical work while the Indian
numeral system utilized Indian numerals and fractions with
the decimal place-value system allowing most of the advances
in numerical methods by the Arabs.
While mathematics continued to progress throughout Greece
and later in Europe, the efficiency with which math was calculated
improved as well. Mathematical symbols became more organized,
allowing for new and important discoveries in the field. Your
children should understand that mathematics was born out of
necessity, developed out of curiosity and a desire for efficiency,
and was perpetuated by teamwork.
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