Yeah, but who invented maths? .. was one of my favourite questions this week. I’m not sure whether the student was just a little bored and wanted a diverting chat, or whether there was a genuine interest. Either way it did get me thinking. Here’s what probably happened: A long time ago there lived a boy with an unpronounceable name. So we’ll call him Eric. He … [Read more...]
Who invented maths first?
Some say the ancient Egyptians invented maths - you know, the people who built the pyramids, mummified their kings, and wore those funny hats. The Egyptians were certainly brilliant engineers and inventive thinkers. Their pyramids are mathematical marvels. In order to build them, the Egyptians invented a new number system, so they could write down big sums. 1 is a single … [Read more...]