Bablyonian use of square root of two
http://www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/Euclid/ybc/ybc.html
Photographs and analysis of an 1800 BC Babylonian table showing the diagonal of a square and ancient knowledge of the value of square root of two – expressed in base 60. A great extension resource. No previous knowledge of Babylonian required, but will make more sense if students know about different number base system. Full mathematical analysis on the site.
- Topics:
- Measurement, Pythagoras, Patterns and Algebra, Quadratics
- Type:
- Image, Interesting
- NSW 7-10 Syllabus:
- MS Measurement, MS4.1 Perimeter and Area
- NSW General Syllabus:
- MM: Measurement, MM3: Similarity of two-dimensional figures, right-angled triangles
User submitted, thanks to: Nordin Zuber
Submit correction to this link
Links
This link, Bablyonian use of square root of two: http://www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/Euclid/ybc/ybc.html
Give to students: http://gomaths.net/2368
This link on MathsLinks: http://mths.co/l/2368
MathsLinks: http://mathslinks.net