Gec 104 Module-1

MODULE 1.
HISTORY OF MA THEMA TI CS
Subject: GEC104 (Mathematics in the Modern World)

Lesson Title: History of Mathematics (3 Hrs)
Lesson Objectives: At the end of this chapter, the student is expected to

1. discuss the development of mathematics from ancient times to the present
2. develop an appreciation for modern mathematics as a product of the contribution of different ages,
cultures, and individual mathematicians
Overview/Introduction:
The Mathematics that we know in the modern world has its roots in ancient Mesopotamia,
Egypt and B abylonia. Then it was developed in Greec e, and simultaneously in China and in India.
This ancient Greek mathematics, along with some influence of Hindu mathematics spread to the
neighboring countries in the Middle E ast. It was translated into Arabic and Latin and was adopted by
Western Europe. Western education was spread t hroughout the world by colonization and trade.
Today’s Mathematics has been enriched by the contributions of different civilizations and individual
mathematicians who unselfishly passed on their discoveries and knowledge to us. It is therefore
fitting for us to look back and appreciate how Mathematics have developed and who made these
developments possible
Activity:
Watch video on The History of Mathematics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy-8lPVKLIo&t=17s
Analysis:
1. What interesting facts have you learned from the video?

2. What is the importance of these facts to the development of modern mathematics?
Abstraction:
History of Mathematics Overview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihGuhGlKOc0
Development of Mathematics from ancient times to the present:
4000-3000 B.C.E. Sumerians (from Sumer, a region of Mesopotamia) were the first
people to assign symbols to group of objects to represent numbers.
They developed the earliest known writing system, a pictographic
writing system known as cuneiform script.
3000 B.C.E. The Egyptians were the first people to develop a numeric al system
that was based on the number 10. Hieroglyphic Numerals developed in
Egypt.
2400 B.C.E. Babylonians in Mesopotamia used t he S exagesimal System (base

60).
300 B.C.E The major Greek progress in mathematics was from 300 BC to 200
AD. During this era, Euclid wrote the Elements, a compilation of
SY 2020-2021 | GEC104 Module 1 | History of Mathematics 1

MODULE 1. HISTORY OF MA THEMA TI CS
theorems, axioms in Algebra and postulates and theorems in
Geometry. With this, he gained the title, “Father of Geometry”.
200 B.C.E. Archimedes of Syracuse, a Greek mathematician, physicist, inventor

and astronomer derived a range of formulas in Geometry including the
area of a circle, the surface area and volume of a sphere and the area
under a parabola.
140 B.C.E. Trigonometry of Hipparchus developed. Hipparchus of Nicaea was a

Greek astronomer, geographer, and mat hematician considered as the
founder of trigonometry.
775 C.E. Hindu mathematical works were translated into Arabic.
830 C.E. Arabic Algebra and Indian numerals came to Western Europe through
the writings of Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. Other Arabic
scholars also cultivated Greek mathematics translating the writings of
Apollonius, Archimedes, Euclid, Ptolemy, etc. into Arabic.
1202 C.E. Leonardo of Pisa, also called Fibonacci, wrote Liber Abaci, a book filled
with arithmetical and algebraic information which he had collected
during his travels. This was one of the means by which the Hindu -
Arabic System of Numeration was introduced int o Western Europe.
The best known contribution of Hindu mathematics to modern
mathematics was the decimal position system. They also introduced
the number zero in mathematics. For the first time in human history,
the concept of “nothing” was symbolized by a number.
1489 C.E. Johannes Widmann was a German mathematician. The + and -

symbols first appeared in print in his book Mercantile Arithmetic
published in Leipzig in 1489 in reference to surpluses and deficits in
business problems.
th th
17 Century The 17 Century saw John Napier, and others greatly extend the
power of mathematics as a calculatory science with his discovery of
logarithms.
1629 C.E. Pierre de Fermat was a French lawyer and a mathematician who is
given credit for early developments that led to infinitesimal calculus.
Fermat, together with Pascal, began the mathematical study of
probability.
Blaise Pascal laid the foundations of t he Probability Theory together

with Fermat. He invented the Pascaline, an early mechanical
calculator, He is also known for the Pascal’s Triangle, a tool for
n
expanding a binomial (a+b)
th
Rene Descartes was anot her notable mathematician of the 17
century. He invented the Cartesian coordinate system, developed
analytic geomet ry and laid the foundation for the development of
calculus.
1684 C.E. Leibniz’ first paper on the calculus was published. Gottfried Leibniz
discovered infinitesimal calculus, along with Sir Isaac Newt on.
However, each one made this discovery alone, not while working
together.

MODULE 1. HISTORY OF MA THEMA TI CS
th th th
18 – 19 Century The most important mathematician of the 18 Century was Leonhard
Euler who, in addition to work in a wide range of mathematical areas,
started the Graph Theory, the Calculus of Variations and Differential
Geometry.
Carl Friedrich Gauss German mathematician, generally regarded as

one of t he greatest mathematicians of all time for his contributions
to number theory, geometry, probability theory, planetary, and the
theory of functions. In 1799, he proved the Fundamental Theorem of
Algebra.
th
Toward the end of the 18 Century, an Italian mathematician, Joseph
Louie Lagrange began a rigorous theory of functions and of
mechanics. He also played a key role in the creation of the Metric
system of weights and measures.
John Venn Introduced Venn Diagram in 1874. This became a useful

tool in Set Theory.
th
20 Century
1975 C.E. Benoit Mandelbrot’s introduced the theory of fractals. He published The
Fractal Geometry of Nature in 1982.
1994 C.E. Andrew Wiles proved Fermat’s Last Theorem

st
2000 C.E. Mathematical challenges of the 21 Century announced
Application:
Identify seven works of mathematicians which we use in the present time. (Discuss this with
your group)
Assessment:
Take the quiz on Moodle.

Gec 104 Module-1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gec 104 Module-1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Gec 104 Module-1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MODULE 1.

Subject: GEC104 (Mathematics in the Modern World)

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this chapter, the student is expected to

Watch video on The History of Mathematics.

1. What interesting facts have you learned from the video?

History of Mathematics Overview.

Development of Mathematics from ancient times to the present:

2400 B.C.E. Babylonians in Mesopotamia used t he S exagesimal System (base

AD. During this era, Euclid wrote the Elements, a compilation of

SY 2020-2021 | GEC104 Module 1 | History of Mathematics 1

200 B.C.E. Archimedes of Syracuse, a Greek mathematician, physicist, inventor

140 B.C.E. Trigonometry of Hipparchus developed. Hipparchus of Nicaea was a

775 C.E. Hindu mathematical works were translated into Arabic.

1489 C.E. Johannes Widmann was a German mathematician. The + and -

Blaise Pascal laid the foundations of t he Probability Theory together

SY 2020-2021 | GEC104 Module 1 | History of Mathematics 2

Carl Friedrich Gauss German mathematician, generally regarded as

John Venn Introduced Venn Diagram in 1874. This became a useful

1994 C.E. Andrew Wiles proved Fermat’s Last Theorem

Take the quiz on Moodle.

SY 2020-2021 | GEC104 Module 1 | History of Mathematics 3

You might also like