Yes, for example. Take the area under a curve of a known equation. What we do is divide it into an infinite number of rectangles we can add together and come

Yes, for example. Take the area under a curve of a known equation. What we do is divide it into an infinite number of rectangles we can add together and come up with a function for that. Rediculously easy in hind-sight but that's the basis of the integral. Of course using computers those which cannot be easily processed symbolically can be processed using Euler's Method, which gives you a close approximation. Edit: Also I think that all the complexity of accounting systems came from small solutions to questions, such as tracking how different business partners are to be compensated in a Europe where nobody had the money stores to buy much without credit. See http://ledgersmbdev.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-software-architects-view-of-design-of.html http://ledgersmbdev.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-software-architec... and I think that has a lot of lessons for programming today.