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History of Math Project, Part 2: Scavenger Hunt

Anna Messina

The answers to the following questions can be found in section 3.1.


1. The Egyptian hieroglyphic system of numeration, one of the oldest and most
primitive types of numeration systems, dates back to when?
a. To about 3000 B.C.
2. What is the significance of the Rhind Papyrus? What was the key to translation
of the Rhind Papyrus?
a. Unlikethestraightforwardaccountingofpropertyandeventscommonto
Egyptiantombs,theRhindPapyrushasinscribedonit85mathamatical
problemsandsolutionsinvolvingaddition,subtraction,multiplication,
division,andgeometry.Thekeytotranslationofthepapyruswasthe
RosettaStone.
3. Name four places that Roman numerals are used today.
a. Buildings,Clocks,inBooks,andtheSuperbowlLogo
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 3.2
4. What is the most common type on numeration system used in the world today?
a. Theplacevaluesystem
5. What eighteenth-century mathematician, speaking of the positional principle, said
"The idea is so simple that this very simplicity is the reason for our not being
sufficiently aware of how much attention it deserves."
a. PierreSimon,MarquisdeLaplace
6. What civilization is credited with the invention of the zero and the other symbols
used in our system.
a. TheHindusinIndia
7. How did the Hindu-Arabic numerals and the positional system of numeration
revolutionize mathematics?
a. Itmadeaddition,subtraction,multiplication,anddivisionmucheasierto
learnandverypracticaltouse.
8. Who were known as the "algorists."

a. ThefirstgroupofmathematicianswhocomputedwiththeHinduArabic
systemratherthanwithpebblesorbeadsonawire.
9. What civilization developed the oldest known numeration system that resembled a
place-value system and when?
a. TheBabyloniansinabout2500B.C.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 4.1
10. The Greeks often thought of numbers as having human qualities. The numbers
284 and 220 are considered friendly numbers. Why?
a. Becauseeachnumberwasthesumoftheothernumbersproperfactor.
11. More than 2000 years ago, the ancient Greeks developed a technique for
determining which numbers are prime numbers and which are not. What is this
technique called?
a. SieveofEratosthenes
12. Who proved that there is no largest prime number? When?
a. TheGreekmathematicianEuclid,morethan2000yearsago.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section4.8.
13. Who is credited with introducing the Hindu-Arabic number system into Europe.
a. Fibonacci
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 5.1.
14. In mathematics, what is a google?
a. Itisthenameofaverylargenumber:10100.In1938,EdwardKasner
namedthenumber10100agoogol.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 5.4.
15. One of the problems in the Rhind Papyrus translates to "Aha, its whole, its
seventh, it makes 19. What does the word Aha represent? Set
up and solve this problem.
a. ThewordAhaisnotanexclamation,itrepresentsthe
unknownquantity.

The answers to the following questions can be found in section 7.1.


16. What civilization is credited with the first treatment of Geometry as a
science? How did this civilization apply geometry?
a. TheNileValleyofancient.TheEgyptiansusedgeometrytomeasureland
andtobuildpyramidsandotherstructures.
17. The word geometry is derived from what two Greek words? State their meanings
a. ItisderivedfromtheGreekwords:gemeaningearth,andmetron,
meaningmeasure.
18. Why is plane geometry also called Euclidean geometry?
a. Euclidlaidthefoundationforplanegeometry.Namedafterhimcomes,
Euclideangeometry.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 7.3.
19. The Pythagorean theorem is one of the most famous theorems of all time. What
ancient civilization knew about this theorem 1000 years before Pythagoras?
a. TheancientBabyloniansinabout1600B.C.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 8.2
20. In Ancient Babylonia, as early as 2000 B.C., temples were considered safe
depositories for assets. Why?
a. Itwasbelievedthatthesesacredplacesenjoyedthespecialprotectionof
thegodsandwerenotlikelytoberobbed.
21. The work bank is derived from the Italian word banca meaning "board".
a. What board is it referring to?
i. Itreferstothecountingboardsusedbymerchants.
b. What happened to dishonest money-changers in the marketplace?
i. Theyhadtheirboardssmashedtopreventthemfromcontinuingin
business.
c. What did the word bankrupt originally mean?

i. abroken(ruptured)board
22. How did British banks record amount of loans and deposits prior to 1826?
a. Theyusedtallystickstorecordtheamountsofloansanddeposits.The
tallieswereflatpiecesofwood.Theamountwasrecordedasnotches,
differentvaluesrepresentedbydifferentwidths.
23. For most of human history, the practice of charging interest on money borrowed,
or usury, was considered not only immoral, but a crime. Why?
a. Becauseapeasantorfarmercouldliterallybeenslavedifpaymentscould
notbemade.Charginginterestovertimewasconsideredsellingtime.
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 8.3
24. Who said
a. "The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest."
b. "Money makes money and the money that money makes makes
more money."
i. AlbertEinstein
25. DID YOU KNOW, in 1626, Peter Du Minuit traded beads and blanket (valued at
$24) to the Native American inhabitants of Manhattan Island for the island. What
would the investment be worth in 2012 if at that time the $24 had been invested at
6% interest compounded annually?
a. $140,693,888,847
The answers to the following questions can be found in section 9.1.
26. The study of probability originated from the study of games of
chance. Archeologists have found artifacts used in games of chance dating back to
3000 B.C. by what civilization?
a. Egypt

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