math-historian-teacher-appu-thomas

  Before my response I would like to share my understanding on  the following concepts : pure vs applied mathematics, practicality and abstraction. When it comes to applied mathematics, I believe it is the use of the mathematical tools of the current time to solve problems one is faced with. For example, in the world today, math is applied in fields like engineering and accounting. From  the reading we see that the Babylonians used the methods of their   time to solve “practical situations encountered in the day-to-day w orking life” ( Gerofsky , 2004, pg. 116 ) , they even used their tools “to express abstract mathematical ideas” ( Gerofsky , 2004, pg. 119). This leads me to explain my understanding of pure mathematics . Here,  math tools are studied to discover more efficient tools. Again , this definition is explained in the reading , through the Greek mathematicians known for “extending mathematics and devising new methods” ( Gerofsky , 2004, pg...

  F or much of my schooling, I was made to believe that most of math history originated from Europe and was discovered by European mathematicians. This fallacy was clear in my life mainly because I was never challenged to dig deeper into math history until starting the math histo r y for teacher s ’ course and reading the first chapter from Joseph’s book ( 1991 , pp. 1-2 2 ) . So, imagine my shock   when I discovered the more accurate origins of math and the fact that “the contributions of the colonized peoples were ignored or devalued as part of the rationale for subjugation and dominance” (Joseph, 1991, pg. 4).   I am also surprised and impresse d at how knowledge was spread   many years ago. The methods were mentioned in this chapter in two instances . First in Baghdad where mathematicians of the time from diverse cultures were invited to discuss theories which formulated into operations for  solving equations (Joseph, 1991, pp. 10-11). Th...

  I compared 60 with 10 to t ry and find out   why the Babylonians use d the base 60 system over 10 . From this  comparison I discovered that 60 has more factors than 10. More specifically, 60 has twelve  factors while  10 only has four . Considering that ancient Babylon depended on its agriculture, counting inventory  would have been vital, therefore the Babylonians would have considered 60 to be more valuable, since  grouping stock is much easier with a base 60 system .   I f we consider where th e base 60 system is still being used today, we will notice that we still use it when telling time , where 60 seconds equals one  minute, and 60 minutes equals an hour. We also use this system in angle measurement, where one revolution is 360 degrees. In fact, if I reme mber correctly, and this is something that I will have to confirm through research . T he reason for a revolution or a full circle to be  360 degrees is because the a n...