History of Mathematics

Godhuli Dey Sarkar

Several civilizations like China, India, Egypt, Central America and Mesopotamia has contributed to mathematics as we know today. The Sumerians were the first people to develop a counting system. Mathematicians developed arithmetic, which includes basic operations, multiplication, fractions and square roots. 

            

The Sumerians' system passed through the Akkadian empire to the Babylians around 300B.C. Six hundred years later, in America, the Mayans developed elaborate calendar systems and we're skilled astronomers. About this time, the concept of zero was developed. 

As civilizations developed, mathematicians began to work with geometry, which computes areas and volumes to make angular measurements and has many practical applications. Geometry is used in everything from home construction to fashion and interior design. Geometry went hand in hand with algebra, invented in the ninth century by a Persian mathematician Mohammad ibn-musa-al Khowarizmi. They also developed quick methods of multiplying and dividing numbers, which are known as algorithms-a corruption of his name. 

Algebra offered civilizations a way to divide inheritances and allocate resources. The study of algebra meant mathematicians were solving linear equations and systems, as well as quadratics and delving into positive and negative solutions. Mathematicians in ancient times also began to look at number theory. With origins in the construction of shape, number theory looks at figuring out numbers, the characterization of numbers and theorems.

*Student, Semester I Honours