Dr. Funkenstein Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 Question: How could the ancient Egyptians have invented/mastered geometry, independently from a teacher source? I can see how mathematics can sprout out of necessity for mankind in general.
imatfaal Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 I think geometry is easier to understand as coming from necessity than some of the other branches of maths. Which field is worth more; the long thin one or the square one? I want to mark out this difference in heading - I have a compass, a ruler, and a stylus. I want to make the edges nice and square and according to tradition all I need is a rope with 3,4, and 5 equal divisions - how does that work; and is it better or worse than thutmose's rope with 5,12, and 13? I can fit more square jars in the granary, but the round ones are easier to make and much stronger- what storage space am I wasting 1
Delta1212 Posted June 24, 2014 Posted June 24, 2014 Geometry is really just a description of the relationship between shapes. People who weren't taught geometry had to measure various shapes and figure out the patterns for themselves. You could independently discover the Pythagorean Theorem, for instance, by measuring and comparing the lengths of the sides of a bunch of right triangles and working out the relationship between them.
Strange Posted July 2, 2014 Posted July 2, 2014 For the Egyptians, as with most societies, geometry (and mathematics in general) wasn't an abstract subject. It was deeply practical. They had a civilization, therefore they needed to survey land, divide fields for agriculture, calculate how to get water to the fields, design buildings, build ships, ....
harshgoel1975 Posted August 9, 2014 Posted August 9, 2014 Question: How could the ancient Egyptians have invented/mastered geometry, independently from a teacher source? I can see how mathematics can sprout out of necessity for mankind in general. I think this question is valid for everything we have today...a teacher source .. and what was the teaching source for that teaching source... and so on...this is egg and chicken kind of question...
Acme Posted August 9, 2014 Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) I think this question is valid for everything we have today...a teacher source .. and what was the teaching source for that teaching source... and so on...this is egg and chicken kind of question... I disagree. It seems obvious to me that some individual made a particular discovery of geometry which they then shared with others. If along with the principle there was some utility then the likelihood of that discovery being perpetuated is increased. It also seems likely that the original discovery would be made in the context of some utilitarian activity as explicated above by imatfaal; e.g. how many fence posts are needed to surround pasture X and/or how many sheep can be adequately housed in pasture Y. Edited August 9, 2014 by Acme
harshgoel1975 Posted August 10, 2014 Posted August 10, 2014 Is the Geometry .. word originated from Ancient Language Sanskrit..root word : jya-miti which has same meaning and pronunciation as Geya-Miti and Sanskrit has lot of books on Trigonometry ( Tri-Cone-Miti ) etc..
imatfaal Posted August 11, 2014 Posted August 11, 2014 Is the Geometry .. word originated from Ancient Language Sanskrit..root word : jya-miti which has same meaning and pronunciation as Geya-Miti and Sanskrit has lot of books on Trigonometry ( Tri-Cone-Miti ) etc.. Not sure about that. You would have to check the derivation of the ancient greek word ge (earth) and metron (a measure). The root of geometry is certainly from the ancient greek - but whether the ancient greek has links to the sanskrit or a common root I do not know. I rather doubt it.
harshgoel1975 Posted August 16, 2014 Posted August 16, 2014 Not sure about that. You would have to check the derivation of the ancient greek word ge (earth) and metron (a measure). The root of geometry is certainly from the ancient greek - but whether the ancient greek has links to the sanskrit or a common root I do not know. I rather doubt it. Good to know... what about decimal number system... is decimal came from sanskrit dasmalav
Acme Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Good to know... what about decimal number system... is decimal came from sanskrit dasmalav Possibly. The dictionary says Latin from Indo-European roots, but their link to dek leads to no further explication regards tens. deci- @ The Free Dictionary [French déci-, from Latin decimus, tenth, from decem, ten; see dek in Indo-European roots]
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