Astronuc
Oct5-05, 09:35 PM
Some interesting historical facts:
Traditional decimal notation -- one symbol for each of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 100, 1000, and 10000. Ex. 2034 would be written with symbols for 2,1000,3,10,4, meaning 2 times 1000 plus 3 times 10 plus 4. Goes back to origins of Chinese writing.
Calculations performed using small bamboo counting rods. The positions of the rods gave a decimal place-value system, also written for long-term records. 0 digit was a space. Arranged left to right like Arabic numerals. Back to 400 B.C.E. or earlier.
Addition: the counting rods for the two numbers placed down, one number above the other. The digits added (merged) left to right with carries where needed. Subtraction similar.
Multiplication: multiplication table to 9 times 9 memorized. Long multiplication similar to ours with advantages due to physical rods. Long division analogous to current algorithms, but closer to "galley method."
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/mathhist/china.html
Traditional decimal notation -- one symbol for each of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 100, 1000, and 10000. Ex. 2034 would be written with symbols for 2,1000,3,10,4, meaning 2 times 1000 plus 3 times 10 plus 4. Goes back to origins of Chinese writing.
Calculations performed using small bamboo counting rods. The positions of the rods gave a decimal place-value system, also written for long-term records. 0 digit was a space. Arranged left to right like Arabic numerals. Back to 400 B.C.E. or earlier.
Addition: the counting rods for the two numbers placed down, one number above the other. The digits added (merged) left to right with carries where needed. Subtraction similar.
Multiplication: multiplication table to 9 times 9 memorized. Long multiplication similar to ours with advantages due to physical rods. Long division analogous to current algorithms, but closer to "galley method."
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/mathhist/china.html