MATHEMATIQUES
The end of IIIème dynasty and IVème Dynasty (2635-2561. B.C.), according to authors',
would have been emergence then the apogee of the culture, i.e. the time of the questions
and research in all the fields.
The writing, (hieroglyphic), had occurred and was
based on the figurative directions, ideographic and phonetic.
For
mathematics, the numbers and great numbers were known as well
as the addition and the subtraction.
On the other hand the
multiplication and division would have been ignored.
Thus to proceed so that we call multiplication, it was enough
successively to add the number (multiplicand) by the value with the
prime numbers included in the multiplier. For example " to multiply "
17 by 12 the process consisted in adding the multiplicand in a number
of times equal to the prime numbers then to add the values
corresponding to the prime numbers included in the multiplier.
1=17
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2=34
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3=51
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5 = 85
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7 = 119
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11=87
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In this example, 12 is consisted of 5 and 7, we will thus add 85 and 119 is 204
which corresponds well to our multiplication of 17 by 12.
For
division the ratios were known but only with whole numerators and results and some
profited of a special notation 2/3. For the ordinary whole numbers, it is
" the Euclidienne division " which was practised:
(example 350 gives 11 times 30 with a remainder of 20).
Architect's ruler of ancient Egypt and detail.
this ruler measures one cubit(0,524 meters) divided into 7 palms
(of 7,5 cms) comprising each one 4 fingers (of 1,87 cm) that is to say
a total of 28 divisions ,(2x2x7 and we know for example that the height
of Khéops is equal to 280 cubits). In the lower part the usual reports/ratios are registered.
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