Mathematics’ Evolution Through Time

Mathematics’ Evolution Through Time

            Actually, I really don’t know on what and how will I state my understanding and reflection with what we have watch a few weeks ago. My mind seems to be so clouded that I am honestly having a hard time constructing and arranging my thoughts transformed into words. There are times that I don’t understand a thing with what I’m watching since I can’t precisely hear what the so-called narrator was saying but, I am doing my best to get the gist of the movie. The movie tells about how mathematics has grown to a sophisticated subject we know today.

           Mathematics is considered to be a universal language. Our world is filled with patterns and sequences and this is one of the reasons mathematics began because we needed to find a way of making sense of such. The first sign of mathematics first emerged in Egypt particularly in the Nile River. Egyptians observed the behavior of the Nile River and analyse the relationship with the river’s behavior and some certain natural phenomena, and even used it to indicate lengths of time. They use their bodies to measure and count. The first numbers in history was called hieroglyphs wherein symbols are used to connote numbers. The problem in the number system of the Egyptians is that they don’t have place values. Comes another civilization, the Babylonians, in order to expand and run their empire, they have become masters of managing and manipulating numbers. Like Egyptians they were more concerned with practical problems. Their number system uses the power of 60 unlike the Egyptians that uses the power of 10 and unlike Egyptians; Babylonians recognized place values and recognized the value of nothingness. Greeks were next to Egyptians. Pythagoras was the one who is responsible for the properties of the right triangle or today what we known as Pythagorean theorem. Soon, it lead to the discovery of the harmonic series or music. Pythagoras’ follower, Hippasus, recognized a special character known as irrational number. Plato, is one of the most important patrons in mathematics and said that geometry is the key to unlocking the mysteries of the universe. Euclid, another mathematician, wrote the most important textbook of all time, the elements. It contains the mathematical revolution that took place in Greece. It is built on series of mathematical assumptions, called axioms. Archimedes worked with polygons and so on, as if he did mathematics to almost everything. Then, soon followed by the Romans.

            Above is the summary of the movie, I usually highlighted only the most important parts of the movie to make it short and not that wordy. What is clear, is that through time mathematics evolve and so does the need of people with regards to mathematics. I began to realize that it took so many years for mathematics to evolve into something that we are very much familiar with. It made me think that we should really be thankful that the mathematics that was introduced to us is a way better than the mathematics before. I really can’t imagine memorizing those symbols and even use them to write very huge quantities of numbers. Or even use different operations with those symbols that I can’t even understand. I’m amazed that it took so much effort to arrive with those knowledge that are now taught to us, students, in academes. I, for myself, I admit that I’m not that bad in math but I also can say that I’m not very much good with it, that’s is why I can’t really appreciate thoroughly the world of math. Ironically, mathematicians, especially before, dedicated their lives for the welfare of mathematics. I mean, what is so good with mathematics that mathematicians fell in love with it. What I forgot to comprehend is that, mathematics is everywhere. Without mathematics, then there’s a big possibility or maybe absolutely that the world we have now would not be like this. Therefore, I can say that mathematics is not just a subject most of the people could hate for, but a subject that is worth life.

Game Changer

Imagine the world without math. I assume that many people would love that world but the world today would not be what it is now if math never existed. The world without math, oh boy wouldn’t that be lovely! But it has some drawbacks though like having no phones, no computers, no internet, maybe no technological advances may have ever existed at all if math did not exist!

In the first episode of the documentary entitled The Story of Maths, the history of math was discussed and in a very unique way that attempted to catch the attention of the viewers. Several civilizations were shown and first were the Egyptian civilization and how they lived with math. Math did exist a very long time ago and was supported by the evidences from the hieroglyphs of the Egyptians. They indeed used math, using their bodies as tools of measurement and made the world famous Pyramids with just manpower unlike today, we are equipped with all the fancy and advanced machines.

Greeks made their mark in the mathematical world too showcasing the brilliant minds of Pythagoras and Plato also emphasizing that proof is important .Pythagoras with his theorem and Plato with his geometry and academy changing mathematics forever. Then from Alexandria which is now what we know as Turkey, Euclid wrote his Elements and was named the ‘Chronicler of Mathematics’. In Alexandria, there is this great library and many great people studied here like Euclid but another great mind stood up and his name is Archimedes. He discovered that ‘PI’ is not just a piece of cake (get it? ha ha!). He designed mirrors and changed the roman war, inventing catapults to use as weapons giving him the rock star status during his time.

Math is actually everywhere! It is used almost in everything like manufacturing food, developing apps in iTunes or Google Play, securing our passwords in our various online accounts, and it has impacted us a lot in a good way. Maybe most of us view math as the bad guy like a Lebron James kinda reputation, leaving his old team but in the end we still know he was one of the greatest that ever played and changed the game of basketball. Math is similar, though many think it is all about boring numbers and equations but people see what we only want to see. Math definitely is a game changer, math changed the whole world forever whether we like it or not.

The Untold Power of Mathematics

The surface of mathematics might seem just another ordinary branch of science. For some, it might not hold the importance and weight of medical science. For others, it might be the most unsought science since for them, new theorems might be discovered, the fact still remains - the future of mathematics is in oblivion. One might be able to encounter a new discovery, but the application of these discoveries remains a mystery. The surface of mathematics might seem ordinary but it is also apparent that mathematics has great power attached to it.

This power of mathematics can be seen in the British television series, The Story of Maths, which outlines the history of mathematics. The first installment of the four part series is entitled “The Language of the Universe”. It was written and produced by the University of Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy. In this segment, Du Sautoy tackles about the importance and fundamental aspect of mathematics not only to lives of early civilization in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece but also to ours now. Du Sautoy also documents the development of mathematics – ideas, theories and practices – through time. (Wikipedia, 2013)

He embarks, his quest by starting in Egypt, where mathematics was used as an account of measure. The Egyptians did this through the recording of patterns in seasons and in particular, the flooding of the river Nile. Recording these patterns were essential for their economy. Mathematics also helped them solved their taxation problems. The government could not have taxed the people with the right amount without the help of mathematics that determined the area of a land. Du Sautoy finds out that the Egyptian used their body to measure. They also based their decimal system based on the fingers on the hand. (Wikipedia, 2013) They invented new notations that recorded new numbers. They too made use of horus (eye) fraction and ratio in building their pyramids. The Egyptians were also the first to come across the accurate value of a pie circle.

Then, Du Sautoy journeys to Babylon and found out that their base 60 number system helped influenced the way we tell time today. Because of their number system, we have 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. (Wikipedia, 2013) According to Du Sautoy, the base 60 was upright because the divisibility of 6 was good for arithmetic. Aside from this, he also notes that the Babylonians used their fingers to count – using the twelve knuckles in one finger and the five fingers on the other. He also recounts the used of quadratic equations in measuring their lands. (Wikipedia, 2013)

He then sails in an expedition to know more about Greek mathematics by coming to Greece. In this place lies the contributing factor for the transformation and development of mathematics from being a tool for counting to being a tool for analytical subject we now have. These great contributions were brought upon by the greatest and well known mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Plato, Euclid, Archimedes and Hippasus. Few examples of their contributions are seen in how Pythagoras found harmonic series by observing musical instruments; He found out that they were always harmonious in whole number intervals. Pythagoras also discovered and proved the properties of a right angle, thus shows in the “Pythagorean Theorem” we have today. His follower, Hippasus was said to have discovered the existence of irrational numbers. (Wikipedia, 2013)

One could feel epiphany after watching the film. The realization comes like the rushing wind - engulfing us, overwhelming us and igniting our minds with the comprehension of new ideas. These realization we can see are the power that mathematics can actually entail – power to make sense of patterns, power to communicate to the universe and power to influence humanity.

Power to make sense of patterns. Mathematics manifest power in how it scan make sense of patterns. We have to remember that mathematics became mathematics because we need to make sense of patterns in our lives. Everything has pattern. From the smallest things to the vast galaxy in the universe. And in everything we do, we are always asked for quantification. We are to make sense but we can only do this by finding patterns through the science of patterns, mathematics. And this in turn helps us understand the world in a much more clear perspective. Because of the power it has in making sense of patterns, life has just became easier for us. We do not have to make speculative judgments anymore, we can create better judgments because mathematics have made things simplified though those patterns it made sense.

Power to communicate to the universe. Patterns are not limited in numbers, there are patterns everywhere. People have patterns in everything from their behavior to the things they wear. Plants have pattern starting from growing as a seed to wilting as they start to die. The universe has patterns also, from the stars that engulfs us to the different galaxy that neighbors us. The universe is its community. And since codes of symbols and the logical system is what constitute mathematics, mathematics too is a language. This is where its power lies, in every element that constitutes its being a language. We have to remember that we are where we are due to the impact, influence and development that mathematics had greatly imparted upon us. Since, we, the community, had visualize the need to quantify things, we created mathematics. But now in the course of time, mathematics too has dictated us, its community.

Power to influence humanity. The power of mathematics lies in its power to shift minds. It can influence humanity because of the proof that supports it. According to Du Sautoy, “Proof is what gives mathematics its strength.” Aside from this, the conventional notion of mathematics being just a tool for counting has drastically changed into a tool for analytical thinking. Plato has even considered mathematics as a “bedrock of knowledge”. Mathematics can be used to shape minds of people, to develop thinking by exploring the different possibilities of math and to create better individuals that will constitute to a better society.

Mathematics maybe disregarded as just an ordinary branch of science, but it is evident that mathematics hold great power. These power is seen on how it make sense of patterns, how it can communicate to the universe and on how it can influence humanity. Possibility and the beauty of math is not limited to the numbers, formulas and theorems, but it ranges from the deepest parts of our mind to the deepest part of our universe. The question is not on how ordinary or on how powerful mathematics is, but on “What other different faces of mathematics have we not seen and explored?” and on “How it can help humanity become better individuals?”

Reference:   The Story of Maths. (2013, July 2). In Wikipedia. Retrieved November 26, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Maths

Empress of the Sciences

Often times, when I hear the word ‘math’ the first thing that comes to my mind is 'oh God, please no'. All joking aside, the second thing that comes to my mind are numbers. Math deals with numbers. This is indeed true. But little do most of us know math is much more than that. Is it really just limited to equations and calculations?

It is a subject that is often feared and taken too seriously. Would you ever associate it with pyramids, paintings, artwork, calendars, the Nile River or board games? The connection between these things and math is presented by Marcus du Sautoy in the first episode of the series entitled The Story of Maths. He ventured throughout the world to revisit three ancient civilizations: Egyptians, Babylonians and Greeks to show how these became the founders of math.

In Egypt, the Nile River became the people’s source of livelihood. They had to keep track of the days and seasons to make sure there was produce. This gave rise to the counting system. Body parts were used for measurements and the need for bureaucracy fueled the Egyptians to solve for length and area to manage lands. Problems as simple as dividing bread equally between people became the stepping stone of fractions. These are also exhibited in the Eye of Horus which was an early indication of geometric series. On a much bigger scale, the knowledge of these has led to the understanding of shapes, more specifically the circle. The creation of the pyramids showed early signs of calculus. From solutions of simple problems, they were able to generate answers for much bigger ones.

The Babylonians solved problems much like the Egyptians did. But instead of using powers of ten, they used powers of sixty. Their discovery of base 60 was very successful and is used today to tell time (60 minutes in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute) and it recognizes place value which gave rise to the concept of zero to represent ‘nothing’ in between numbers. Their need to measure land led to the use of the quadratic equation which is one of the greatest discoveries in math. Even during leisure time, they were calculating without them noticing. The Babylonians applied math in many things; whether it be in love or in board games.

The Greeks built structures that were geometrically perfect. They contributed greatly to mathematics by creating proofs. These are the backbone of math. These discoveries by Plato, Euclid and Pythagoras are timeless and are as true today as they were before.

          After watching the show I realized just how brilliant man can be. Lucky for us today we are just learning the different equations that have already been discovered and created by great minds of the past. I can’t imagine how life was like for the mathematicians. To have the constant need to answer questions and make proofs and solutions to back these up. So going back to the question: is math really just about equations and calculations? Now, I can confidently say it’s not limited to these. Rather, it is the foundation of intellectual life.

Principles Underlie Behind Everything

The principle behind the mechanism of protein denaturation is what kills bacteria. Understanding this principle is what biologists study and analyze. Since high school, I have been very interested in mathematics. I joined competitions, I get high grades, and I became competitive. But I had this feeling of incompleteness and discontentment. Going back to the first two lines I have mentioned, through the years of loving this body of knowledge, I haven’t asked what the principle behind addition is, I haven’t asked why a fraction became a fraction, I haven’t asked how mathematical processes work. I did not realize that principles and basic concepts existed why mathematical equations work. I did not even wonder where these concepts originated. This very realization is what the documentary “The Story of Maths” inculcated in me.

In the first part of the series, ancient Egypt was featured. I then remembered learning Egypt civilization in Asian history way back in high school. Thinking that in today’s world, man’s needs have triggered development in technologies and societies, the same is true with what I saw in the development of Mathematics in Egypt. Egyptians have been able to generate a counting system as they studied the patterns of different seasons and also the flooding of the Nile in response to their economic need. It’s amazing to think that they didn’t have the idea how big the impact they have imparted to us is.

Suddenly, I became sleepy and I began checking the time so as to know how long it would take until I can go out. And I realized I still need to wait for about 40 minutes. That would be 2400 seconds. The Babylonians sure are wise in setting time. Since they have a base-60 number system, they’ve thought that a minute will have 60 seconds and an hour will have 60 minutes. So what if they had a base-20 number system instead? Can I go out of the room in 800 seconds now? I was again amazed by the Babylonians of how they created this system. And until now, their contribution is being used globally. Another big impact the ancient people didn’t know they’ve imparted.

I admit, I know nothing about Greek gods and goddesses, their names, titles and whatsoever. “Okay, I’m stuck with Greece again,” I said to myself as the narrator moved to Greece. I didn’t expect that this part of the documentary was the most interesting for me. I love geometry. Analyzing triangles would always put a smile upon my lips. I learned a lot with Greek Mathematics through the documentary. I was even more astonished when I learned that Pythagoras even assessed and put his concepts in music. Impressive.

Bias is natural in human nature. Well, after the Greek Mathematics part, I has fully contented and happy that I became passive and only listened selectively on the next parts of the documentary. However, I also found the next parts interesting as the narrator tackled about algebra, Indian Mathematics, the Arabics, number systems and as he reflected some of his insights of what Mathematics really is. The documentary ended up for me as one of the most informative and interesting I have ever watched.

The core of my reflection after watching the documentary was that the evolution of mathematics is what every math student has to know. I have been answering mathematical problems since my mom asked me how much will I have if I buy 2 candies for one peso each if I had 5 pesos, but I haven’t even wondered the concepts behind subtraction and multiplication originated. Indeed, the complexities in Mathematics came from the very basic concept that the ancient people, long ago generated in response to their needs. What’s unique with Mathematics is that it started with its applications, through the applications, concepts were generated, and these concepts have been used to more applications.

To end up, I believe this statement would sum up my reflection of what I learned from the documentary, “Bacteria will not be killed when exposed to alcohol without the mechanism of protein denaturation, as well as, an hour will not have 60 minutes without the concept of base-60 number system, everything has an underlying principle.”

THE UNIVERSAL BEAUTY OF MATHEMATICS

 “Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country.” – David Hilbert   

In a BBC short television series called The Story of Maths, episode 1 with a title “The Language of the Universe” talks about how mathematics was used all around the world as a discipline to make connections in the patterns present in all cultural aspects. It is used as a method of understanding the changing formations of space. This episode shows us the growth of Mathematics from simply being a tool of accounting to being the foundation of the greatest innovations present today. It shows the viewers how mathematics is fundamental in all the aspects of life by being one of the essential components of different cultures.

In this episode, the presenter, Marcus du Sautoy, explored Egypt, Syria (in a part of old Mesopotamia) and Greece to document the growth and development of mathematics. His first stop was at Egypt, to the first sign of mathematics, the Nile River. The flooding of the Nile was essential for the growth of the crops and so the Egyptians needed to know how many days are between the flooding events to develop an effective agricultural system. Afterwards, there was a need to count produce and measure the area of a farmer’s land which leads to the birth of the Egyptian number system and a decimal system based on the ten fingers of people’s hands. They also made use of fractions for trade in the market. The construction of the Pyramids of Giza made use of the mathematical brilliance of symmetry and geometry to create such a beautiful landmark which still stands to this day.

His next stop was at Damascus, Syria, in the old Mesopotamia, the land of the Babylonians. They used simpler mathematics in methods of irrigation, measuring lands and weighing of products. They also had the concept of a calendar based on the cycle of the moon. The Babylonians also used geometric games to solve problems. They spend their leisure time playing games that make use of the tactical strategies of mathematics to win.

His last stop was at Greece: the home of Plato, Euclid, Archimedes, Pythagoras and Hypatia, some of the first and greatest mathematicians in the world. The Greeks’ greatest innovation to mathematics is the proof or proving of theorems. It is during this time that proof became known as the core strength of mathematics, the irrefutable evidence of mathematics. Pythagoras discovered that music is appealing because of the whole number intervals between the notes. Plato believed that mathematics is the bedrock of knowledge and he used his Platonic Elements to describe and understand the universe while Euclid wrote the book, The Elements. Archimedes discovered pi and the volumes of different shapes; meanwhile, Hypatia became one of the earliest female mathematicians.  

This television show made me realize that mathematics isn’t as black and white as we thought it was. It has different sides to it that affect different aspects of one’s culture. These aspects include trade, religion, art, architecture, agriculture, entertainment, education and war. As this episode tells us, mathematics is the language of the universe. This language has been used by people from different fields to express their inner most thoughts, opinions and feelings. And it is through this form of expression that we have the greatest masterpieces, innovations and inventions in all the different fields today. The touch of mathematics in those fields lead to even bigger discoveries that astound and amaze people of all ages though most of them don’t even know mathematics had something to do with it in the beginning. As a student, one has gotten used to fearing and dreading the very idea of math as a subject. The mere mention of the word brings fear, despair and stress. It is being called as a headache or a pain and yet it lead to the beauty we see all around us now. The beauty of mathematics has been overlooked for far too long and now is the time for it to be appreciated. It isn’t all about formulas, trials and problems when it comes to mathematics. In the field or art and architecture, proportion, geometry and symmetry gave birth to the beautiful architectural sights and masterpieces all around the globe. Using the precision and accuracy of mathematics brings out the perfection of beauty. Math is more than I ever thought it was; even Leonardo Da Vinci used science and mathematics to bring out the true beauty of his drawings and paintings and to further more perfect it. In drawing and painting, proportions and ratios are crucial; one mistake can disrupt and deflect the essence of the image being conceived. I am now starting to really see the importance of mathematics and appreciate the beauty it expresses and perfects.

This video, however, could be further improved by emphasizing the important data and points. This could be done with the use of subtitles so the terms can be stated clearly and will be easier to understand. It can also be done by showing figures, equations and formulas. By presenting more of these, the viewer can better appreciate and comprehend the information successfully by seeing it in front of their eyes in images. One has to remember that videos or television shows are moving images and the viewer can only get a glimpse of the information projected on the screen. Mathematics isn’t as easy as it can be understood or comprehended in one glimpse. It takes a process of understanding to clearly see the point and that will take time for some people. The use of subtitles, figures, equations and formulas can help make that process easier and quicker. Overall, the video was very educational and exciting. It presented facts and stories in a way that captures the audience. It also got its point through to the viewers successfully. Mathematics is not a heavy burden but an extraordinary gift; it just needs to be seen from a different point of view and through this, the universal beauty of mathematics will come to light.

Problems Solved

The story of Maths Part I elucidates math as a universal language. It is true that not everyone appreciates math but little do they know that from the moment they woke up they had already used the principles of math until they go back again to bed. Math is used everywhere and is used all over the globe which makes math a common necessity to all. Unfortunately not everyone is able to know its greatsignificance. It is pleasing to know that there are people who are concern regarding this matter and had done a great effort in educating people in a critical and enjoyable way.

In the start of the movie the host Marcus du Sautoy explained how fundamental math is in our lives. After which, he talked about the three civilizations that had great contributions and impacts in the field of mathematics. The three civilizations were ancient Egypt (Egyptian), Mesopotamia (Babylonian) and Greece (Greek) respectively.

First he told the history of mathematics in Egypt, he mentioned how it was economically important for the Egyptians to know the different flooding patterns of the river Nile. He also stated that there was a need for the Egyptians to solve some practical problems. Those were just some of the factors that had lead them to use the number system base ten, decimal system, fractions and the pyramid.

After the vast background about Egypt he then went to the Mesopotamian Civilization, the Babylonian. He learned and imparted that the way we tell the time nowadays is based on the Babylonian’s number system base sixty and he showed that Babylonians discovered the quadratic equations to measure their lands.

Finally Greece, it is where most of the well-known Mathematicians were born; Pythagoras, Plato, Euclid and Archimedes. Those people were the ones who had changed Mathematics from a simple tool of counting to a more critical and analytic subject.

The movie or program was arranged in a chronological order on how math had evolved during the ancient times which enables the viewers to connect and to understand what the movie is basically trying to depict or impart. The introduction of the movie was able to catch the viewer’s attention easily because the host mentioned the connection between math and the viewers. The three different civilizations being mentioned in a stimulating manner was useful so that viewers would be more interested with each civilization and not easily get bored and tired with just a single revolving topic. However, the voice of the host wasn't that clear because of his British accent which causes some to misunderstand what he was trying to say and probably sooner some of the viewers would get bored because they could not understand him. The total performance of the program was almost excellent because it had met its goal which is to educate the viewers of the great importance and impact of mathematics in their lives. 

The story of Maths Part I had lead the viewers to a vast and deeper understanding of Mathematics. It thought the viewers how important math is and how math is widely used all over the world. The movie was able to instill to the viewers that some phenomenon that humans could not explain are answerable by mathematics.

Falling in Love with Math: How did it become so complicated?

                “I love math, it just doesn’t love me back”- that’s what I usually say when I get low scores in math tests and other areas in relation to it. Then I blame the letters meddling with the numbers when I reached higher mathematics. What did I miss? It’s like I woke up one day and found letters all over my usual 1+1=2 equations. Apparently, this sequence of learning dates back to the Egyptians and progressed to the modern era from there. Before we get ahead of ourselves, how did it all start anyway?

               The movie “story of maths” revealed that like all other inventions, the mathematics originated from a need. The earliest form of math arose from the need to know when the River of Nile will flood next, calculated by the Egyptians. Moreover, the settlements grew larger and thus the need to administer taxes, calculate areas of land, predict cropules. It was these type of bureaucratic needs that made the Egyptians the first innovators of mathematics. Next came the Babylonians who charted their calendar based on the course of the night sky. This required them to calculate astronomically large numbers and thus zero needed to be represented. Their numerical system also suggested they needed to represent something without value which gave birth to what we now know as zero. One thing about Babylonians, they were astonishingly fond with mathematics as they used it even in their leisure. They developed board games, which I never could call ‘bored games’ since their mind had to be racing because winning the game required fast arithmetic and strategy. Later in time, the Greeks were very particular with philosophy. And so, they developed the deductive system to cater the need of proofs. This played a vital role in strengthening the foundations of mathematics because the discoveries before are as true today as they had been thousands of years ago. Perhaps one of the most famous mathematicians of all time is Pythagoras who, aside from the celebrated theorem, was also credited for the transformation of mathematics as a tool for counting to the analytic subject we have today. Now we've actually got somebody to blame! Oops. Kidding aside, what I have been blabbing about isn't the whole story. It’s just the beginning of a blissful journey which apparently is still going on.

                Inevitably, mathematics had to get harder than most can cope with, including yours truly. It has started with a need that had to be addressed, and we just don’t run out of needs. Or at least we know tricky ways to twist our wants into what sounds to be a need. Looking at the big picture, mathematics had been playing a big role in important innovations of today. Not a single invention of the modern world will be hold true if it’s not quantitatively true. Mathematics has provided us a method to prove our thoughts true and irrevocable. My words will never be able to describe its importance and there won’t be a list that will be long enough to enumerate its contributions to humanity. What we are able to grasp though, is that no matter how mathematics got so complex, we wouldn't have had it any other way..

Throwback: The Day Mathematics Was Born

                  In the number of steps I make until I reach the room for our Ecology class, in the amount that I pay the habal-habal driver from our boarding house to CSM, in determining the number of ATP produced at the end of glycolysis, and in the number of times I see my crush every day, there is Math. I am fully aware that Math is everywhere. I am fully aware that Math is very important in our everyday life. However, I have never tried to ask myself how it all started.

                Probably, there are a lot of people who hated Math and wished it never existed. They find Math twisted and complicated but I think that makes Math special and different from any other subject. It is interesting to find out what lies beneath it.

                When we watched the BBC special report entitled “The Story of Maths”, I can’t count how many times I’ve heard “wow” and “ahhh” in the classroom. The special report highlights how the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans built a foundation for the understanding of Math. It told a story about how our ancestors used the patterns around them to understand the concepts in math.

                In Egypt, they counted the number of days between lunar phases to determine when the flooding of Nile river will occur. They did not have devices back then to determine when the flood will occur but they looked around them and noticed that the moon could be of good help. They were very smart to have used concepts of Math for their survival.

                The most amazing part of the special report is where the host discussed how the value of pi was determined by the Egyptians. They were playing Makola and noticed that when the stones are compact in a space, they form a circle. From this simple observation, they performed an experiment using 64 stones. The 64 stones could make a circle with a diameter of 9 units. They used the calculation of the area of the circle to derive the value of pi.

                That part just made me ask myself, “Can our generation still manage to think like that?”. When teenagers of our generation see a pi in an equation, they dread just the thought of it. We can calculate answers to equations with pi in just some clicks away using the scientific calculator yet we still complain. But the Egyptians, they managed to determine the value of pi, itself, without the aid of any device such as calculator. Our generation is very lucky for the Egyptians never complained and gave up because if they did, we will never figure out its accurate value.

                Another brilliant part also caught my attention. This is the building of pyramids by the Egyptians using the mathematical theorems such as Pythagorean theorem. Who would have thought that mathematics could lead to the construction of one of the “Seven Wonders of the World”?

                On the other hand, the second civilization explored was Babylonian civilization. They had an innovative method of counting numbers. They use their knuckles on their left hand and their fingers and right hand. This allows them to count about 60 numbers. It is interesting because we can still adapt this method of counting that would allow us to maximize the use of our hands.

                Moreover, they are also the ones to discover the base-60 system which is now adapted in telling time. The number 60 can be divided in many ways making it an efficient base to do arithmetic. There are 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. I cannot imagine telling time in a different way than how we do it now. Thanks to the Babylonians!

                I am also very impressed with the way Babylonians see a problem. They do not just look at one side of the problem. In the agricultural development, for example, they even incorporate the concept of Mathematics. They determine the area of a land using shapes and symbols which led to the discovery of quadratic equations. Nowadays, we use known formulas to solve areas and perimeters of shapes with ease without knowing who formulated them. I could not be more thankful to the Babylonians for being so in love with Math. How I wish this generation would be in love with Math the same way they did!

                The last civilization explored was the Greek civilization. This is where many theorems on geometry constructed by Pythagoras were born. The understanding of the relationships of the sides of a triangle and a circle were fully grasped and served as foundation to the knowledge in geometry that we now have.

                I was amazed when I found out from the special report that the Greeks even used geometry to deduct the harmonic series. Even Mathematics can be applied in the field of Music. Math is, indeed, everywhere. So, those people who hate Math can never run from it.  Our ancestors have created a special bond with Math that can never be broken.

                The story of Math did not just tell me about numbers, geometry, theorems and quadratic equations. It told me something deeper. Behind these patterns, sequences, and events around us lies Math.

 It made me realize that, probably, answers that I’m seeking all this time are just around me, waiting to be discovered. Like the Egyptians, Babylonians, and Greeks who never gave up in finding the answers to their problems, I shall never give up too.

After all, this is not just the story of numbers, patterns, and symbols. It is not just a story about mathematicians and philosophers who changed the course of life. It is a story of inspiration which was marked by the day mathematics was born.

                

Math In A New Perspective

Math as we know it, if not the most difficult, is one of the most difficult subjects. Well, as a kid, I sure did agree. Somehow, our perception that Math is difficult was just inculcated to us by those that are older than us; say our aunts, uncles or older brothers and sisters. Once, I heard a partylist representative saying that Math and Science are feared by students, old and young alike, because at a very young age it is already instilled in their minds that these subjects are difficult and this remained with them as they come to school. While watching the movie, The Story of Math, I have come to realize that people from long ago were very fond of learning Math because they do not have the pressure of knowing it for the sake of good grades or passing a subject. Instead, they learned math whole-heartedly because they make use of it and they needed it to improve their lives. The movie is a breath of fresh air because they tackled Math in a light and exciting note. They even travelled from different countries to learn the history of math and how it evolved. The movie was able to deliver another side of math, that it is not only about numbers but rather, for me, Math is the story of people from before handed down from generation to generation, developed and improved as ever and that is what we have today. The movie had showed that Math did not originate from one place only rather it showed artifacts and interviews from experts and scholars from different parts of the world discussing how each civilization started to make use of Math which made the movie even more factful. Math may have been confined to specific regions due to certain extent before due to differences in representations in the early times but learning Math now is like knowing a universal language which people from all around the world can understand and communicate. The points in this movie are easy to grasp and it is a good material for those who do not like Math yet. If only the first step in learning math is like this, young students could’ve develop fondness of  math first than hating it or could retain loving it. However, there were parts in the movie where it is difficult to get the idea because of the accent. Yeah, very British! It was really educating and amazing at the same time though, so two thumbs up.

Mathematics through Time

Mathematics, as what we all know it, is one of the most important matters which exist in this world, in our community, and in our lives. All of us are using mathematics: in the school to answer problems, in the market by weighing and accounting as to how much the goods cost. We are using mathematics even in our homes, especially in our daily lives. We are using and applying mathematics everyday and yet most of us don’t know the story behind the construction or the formulation of the fundamentals of mathematics.

I was really amazed on how the Egyptians solve using only their ten fingers and their unusual method of multiplication and division. Dividing the ‘pie’ which eventually forms pieces which lead to the understanding of fractions is amazing. And most importantly understanding the pyramid, they spent great minds and effort in constructing the great pyramids. They understood each part of the solid in order to create a very beautiful whole.

Babylonians are the ones responsible that we have 60 seconds in a minute, and 60 minutes in an hour – that’s how we tell time today. This is based on the Babylonian Base 60 number system.  Thanks to them that we are able to tell time today easily and without complications. In measuring their lands they used quadratic equations. Babylonians have great minds that they thought and used this concept in their lands.

Some of the great men in mathematics are credited when the documentary shifted in Greece.  These men include Plato, Euclid, Archimedes, and Pythagoras. They are considered as the greats or the giants in mathematics since they have great contributions to mathematics. From the mathematics as a tool into analytical mathematics that we are now dealing today. Thanks to them that we had to solve complicated problems using complex mathematical formulas in obtaining large numbers, moderate numbers or even worse, small numbers, very small numbers that even though they are very small and tiny yet they manage to significantly affect the whole to pass an exam or a course. Pythagoras’ great understanding on the properties of right-angled triangles is one of his huge contributions in the world of mathematics revealing the so called Pythagorean Theorem which somehow contributed to the agony of a typical student. Plus the discovery of irrational numbers which was discovered by one of the followers of Pythagoras, Hippasus, made our lives miserable at some point in our student lives. Even though we had to or we have to endure all these things, it is worth it. This complex mathematics made our minds sharpen a bit more making us more prepared by the time we are greatly exposed to the outside world.

Knowing and fully opening our minds to the history of the formulation and how the fundamentals of mathematics are applied by ancient beings make us appreciate, makes me appreciate mathematics a bit more. How they used mathematics, from the very beginning, as a tool and as time goes by used to analyze complex things. How the transformation of mathematics affected lives of people. History makes us appreciate many things that exist in the present day. If not greatly then at least a bit. In my case, history really affects the impression to or of a thing before and after the history is revealed. How those men back from the past strive and think hard just to solve things that are once unknown. Because of their hard and admirable works, we now have mathematics that are learned and soon enough hopefully be appreciated of what its worth.

Back to Square One: Journey to the Origins of Mathematics

          The first episode of The Story of Maths series is entitled "The Language of the Universe." The host, Marcus du Sautoy, is an Oxford professor who traveled back in time to search for the origin of mathematics from the ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece.

          I am interested in this kind of documentaries since it involves history - one of the fields that I enjoy. I have learned a little about its background and historical approach during high school when one of my teachers introduced them in our history class. This video had found a way of merging history and mathematics altogether.

          Marcus first toured us to ancient Egypt. It is located at the northeastern part of Africa where the world's longest river, Nile, is situated. This river had been the source of living of the people and flooding of the river serves as a sign to start another year for them. What intrigues me is the accuracy of using of the river as a mark for another year, making me popped a question in my mind - "Is the flooding of the Nile a reliable basis for tracking time?," "How accurate is a natural phenomena to base the time?" or "Does the universe have a pattern in telling time?"

          The ancient Egyptians were the first practical solvers and they were able to apply mathematics in the bureaucracy and land management. He showed how the ancient Egyptians used the numeral system in the hieroglyphs. He uncovered that the decimal system that we use now where it is actually based on the ten fingers on our hand. The ancient Egyptians used various symbols to denote numbers but they do not have a fixed place value system. The symbols used by their number system challenges me. I think that kind of system will not work on me because I suck at drawing. Among the application of mathematics are splitting the loaves of bread among a group of workers, land division and constructing dikes in the riverbanks. They were earliest users of the binary numbers. They have used the power of fractions (e.g. 1/2 to 1/4 then to 1/8 and so on). They were able to design a 3-4-5 triangle which became the foundation of the Pyramids of Giza and later applied in the studying the land.  With these innovations, the concept began to pop in my mind that they were the first engineers in the world.

          Marcus' second trip was in Damascus, the center of economy and trade of the ancient Babylonia. The Babylonians continued the evolution of mathematics started by the ancient Egyptians. Similar to the ancient Egyptians, the Babylonians used mathematics in solving daily problems but they were now taught in schools as evidenced in their tablets. The students were taught in solving equations and became the foundation of teaching classroom mathematics. I also got to see how writing of the numerals in a clay tablet. Also, the Babylonian base 60 system became the pillar of way of telling the time in present times. Interesting part in their culture is that they find ways of having fun. They used mathematics in board games such as backgammon.

          After the downfall of the Mesopotamia, mathematics was brought to Europe through Greece. The Greeks applied mathematics to shapes, becoming one of the pioneers of Geometry and Trigonometry. Some prominent mathematicians such as Archimedes, Plato, Euclid, and Pythagoras came in the Greek empire. Pythagoras was able to elaborate that four right triangles would form a square.

          Overall production of the documentary was marvelous and the visual effects were cool. The historical background/research was well delivered and understood through its creative elaboration.  I would like to suggest that the documentary must have some subtitles because I had difficulty in understanding what the host was conveying due to his peculiar British accent.

          The three ancient civilizations have used mathematics for practicality. They have molded the future of mathematics. It was then incorporated in agriculture, architecture, arts, commerce and law. The movie gave me a bigger perspective of the field. It is an eye-opener and made me appreciate history more. I am looking forward in the coming weeks to see more bits of the wonders of the ancient world accompanied with mathematics. 

For the love of Math

               Everything in this world is related to mathematics and we couldn’t surely survive without it. Mathematics is one of the very important things in our lives and people really depend on it. The video was about the development of mathematics from where it started up to the complicated math in the present times. The presenter, Marcus du Sautoy, explored places where the first science of mathematics emerged. These places were Egypt, Babylonia and Greece. He first went to Egypt and explained how multiplication and division were discovered. Their mathematical discoveries were recorded in a papyrus and so, records of them have survived. The ancient Egypt also discovered mathematics from fractions and shapes. One shape that really caught my attention was the great pyramids because Egyptians used the golden ratio in making them and the pyramids were not the only ones which were done using the golden ratio but it was also used in the other field of arts. Pythagoras’s theorem and the Pythagorean triangle were also explained in making the pyramids. Marcus du Sautoy then went to the Babylonia and showed the discovery of measuring and weighing. He explained that the scribe records were kept on clay tablets. He also gave details to how the based 60 numbers was discovered and so as the place values, angular measurements and the zero. The discoveries of quadratic equations, symmetrical shapes, right angle triangles and irrational numbers were also shown when Marcus was in Babylonia. He lastly went to Greece and explained that mathematics is the bedrock of knowledge. By knowing mathematics, we know reality. This is when he introduced some important people behind the development of mathematics like Plato, Archimedes and Euclid.

               Mathematics is applied in all aspects of life and it is so amazing that the reason why mathematics appeared is because people were starting to form patterns and make connections to order our world.Knowing the history of mathematics is important to us students since most of us do not appreciate this subject at all. We take this subject just for the sake of having the required subject and not having an interest to it. This is mainly because mathematics is really hard to understand. While I was watching the video, many things amazed me and made me think that mathematics is a really cool subject if you just look deeper into it and if you could just understand it.      

                For me, the video was cool but I admit that sometimes I just lose my focus in watching it because I think my attention span is too short. At least it wasn’t that boring because the speakers were loud and I can understand what the presenter was saying even if he had a British accent. I hope to see another video that can really change my views on mathematics.

 Travel Back To...........

           The Language of the Universe is the first part of the movie series about the History of Mathematics, presented by the Oxford professor Marcus de Sautory. This movie shows the connection between the 3 great ancient places of the world and the History of Mathematics. First stop is Egypt, he interpreted and undiscovered the unique history of decimal system in the fingers of the hand. As he explores Mesopotamia he discovers that the  way we track our time today is based from the Babylonian Based 60 number system. In Greece he acknowledge the contribution of the 4 great mathematicians Plato, Euclid, Archimedes and Pythagoras in the transformation of mathematics, begins with the tool for counting in the analytical subject we know today.

         Since we started going to school we study history of the world and mathematics in a two very different fields.As we read the our 500-page history books  we never encounter even a simple paragraph linking mathematics and the structure of the Pyramids of Egypt,or  the connection between our present calendar and the flooding of Nile river, the amazing patterns in the work of arts and the birth of shapes.

         After seeing the movie I was dumbfounded by my realization, I've been studying history since level one, I've been amazed by those great structures, patterns, landscapes I saw and read in my history books and yet I was blinded by my thought that ancient people only apply maths in trading but never in the field of art. I never thought that they do math better than we do today, that the techniques and patterns they develop and discover are so amazing and critical that I even have a slight difficulties in understanding it. 

         They applied math in all aspects of life, in agriculture, arts, religion and so much more. It's just so amazing that those techniques and patterns they develop will be the bases of  the modern math, that 1 0 1 of the Binary System is the biggest discovery leading to a greater discoveries today such as technologies we humans depend on now. 

         The movie is so in reaching ,even it only lasted for more than an hour it felt like a part of me is completed but at the same time floods of questions are running through my brain as I travel back to those ancient times. Is there a possibility that the mystery of the past can be solved by math? Is there a connection between myths and math? and so much more. 

        I hope to see another episode of this movie series but I think it'll be much better and comfortable for us viewers if there will be a subtitle attached in the movie considering the viewers who have difficulties in understanding British English , also aside from arts, agriculture and trading it can  it will add to the interest of the viewers if the movie will also feature the application of math in the field of unresolved crimes and mysteries.