Mathematical Happening
Mathematical Happenings
Rayne Charni
MTH 110
April 6, 2015
Prof. Charles Hobbs
Mathematical Happenings
Greek mathematicians from the 7th Century BC, such as Pythagoras and Euclid are the reasons for our fundamental understanding of mathematic science today. Adopting elements of mathematics from both the Egyptians and the Babylonians while researching and added their own works has lead to important theories and formulas used for all modern mathematics and science. Pythagoras was born in Samon Greece approximately 569 BC and passed away between 500 - 475 BC in Metapontum, Italy. Pythagoras believed that all things are numbers. He also believed that mathematics was and is the core of everything mathematical. He also believed that geometry is the highest form of mathematics and that the physical world could always be understood through the science of mathematics. Pythagoreans have and will continue to give recognition to Pythagoras for 1) the angles of a triangle equaling to two right angles. 2) The Pythagoras theorem, which is a right-angled triangle, and the square on the hypotenuse equaling to the sum of the squares on the other two sides. This theory was created and understood years earlier by the Babylonians, however, Pythagoras proved it to be correct. 3) Pythagoras constructed three of the five regular solids. The regular solids are called tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, icosahedron, and dodecahedron. 4) Proving and teaching that the “earth is a sphere in the center of the universe and that the planets, stars, and the universe were spherical because the sphere was the most perfect solid figure numbers. He also taught that the paths of the planets were circular (Douglass, 2005).” Pythagoras was also the first known person to recognize that the morning star and the evening star were in fact the same; planet Venus. The biggest influence left by Pythagoras was the Pythagorean theorem. This was the first time in history a formula could be used to
Rayne Charni
MTH 110
April 6, 2015
Prof. Charles Hobbs
Mathematical Happenings
Greek mathematicians from the 7th Century BC, such as Pythagoras and Euclid are the reasons for our fundamental understanding of mathematic science today. Adopting elements of mathematics from both the Egyptians and the Babylonians while researching and added their own works has lead to important theories and formulas used for all modern mathematics and science. Pythagoras was born in Samon Greece approximately 569 BC and passed away between 500 - 475 BC in Metapontum, Italy. Pythagoras believed that all things are numbers. He also believed that mathematics was and is the core of everything mathematical. He also believed that geometry is the highest form of mathematics and that the physical world could always be understood through the science of mathematics. Pythagoreans have and will continue to give recognition to Pythagoras for 1) the angles of a triangle equaling to two right angles. 2) The Pythagoras theorem, which is a right-angled triangle, and the square on the hypotenuse equaling to the sum of the squares on the other two sides. This theory was created and understood years earlier by the Babylonians, however, Pythagoras proved it to be correct. 3) Pythagoras constructed three of the five regular solids. The regular solids are called tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, icosahedron, and dodecahedron. 4) Proving and teaching that the “earth is a sphere in the center of the universe and that the planets, stars, and the universe were spherical because the sphere was the most perfect solid figure numbers. He also taught that the paths of the planets were circular (Douglass, 2005).” Pythagoras was also the first known person to recognize that the morning star and the evening star were in fact the same; planet Venus. The biggest influence left by Pythagoras was the Pythagorean theorem. This was the first time in history a formula could be used to
References: Douglass, C. (2005). Pythagoras. Retrieved from http://www.mathopenref.com/pythagoras.html Douglass, C. (2007). Euclid. Retrieved from http://www.mathopenref.com/euclid.html Lewinter, M., & Widulski, W. (2002). The Saga Of Mathematics. Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. The Story of Mathematics. (2010). GREEK MATHEMATICS. Retrieved from http://www.storyofmathematics.com/greek.html