2 ms·

I've been of the notion that mathematical notation dates back to both Euclid and Aristotle... You don't have to know Greek to note the axioms and theorem-proof

I've been of the notion that mathematical notation dates back to both Euclid and Aristotle... You don't have to know Greek to note the axioms and theorem-proof exposition style and symbolic notation of Euclid's Elements. https://el.wikisource.org/wiki/%CE%A3%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B9%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B1/%CE%B1#.CE.91.E1.BC.B0.CF.84.CE.AE.CE.BC.CE.B1.CF.84.CE.B1_.CE.B5.CE.84 https://el.wikisource.org/wiki/%CE%A3%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B9%CF%8....

bane 9y ago
You really have to look at the original. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/P._Oxy._I_29.jpg/800px-P._Oxy._I_29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/P.... The drawings are pretty interesting, but there's literally no notation, everything is described. Other civilization's ancient mathematics are similar "The sum of one and two is a value of three." Or they might shorthand it to "The sum of a and b is a value of c." And since that civilization hadn't invented discrete symbols for numbers yet, everybody just knows that a = 1, b = 2 and c = 3.