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Africans Invented Arithmetic and Algebra |
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Sunday, 27 August 2006 |
The earliest treatise on algebra is the Egyptian Rhind
Papyrus (c.1700 BC). But in c.3000 BC Egyptians called it "aha Calculus"
because "Aha," "Ahe," or "Ahau" was the name of the second pharaoh of the first
dynasty. Meaning mass, quantity, or heap (a pile of many things), it was used
as an abstract term for the unknown in an equation. Originally, the word "algebra"-("al" "from Egypt"--"al-Kemit")--meant
the reuniting of broken parts and was later defined by the Arabs as
"restoration", including "bone setting". Note that Yin and Yang are also about
the union of separate parts.
 Joseph A. Bailey, II M.D., F.A.C.S.
Arithmetic ("the science of numbers"; "the art of
calculation") applies numbers to answer questions such as "how many?" -how
much?" --and how far?" Algebra is the next step up and features letter or
symbol "shorthand" in expressing quantities. With arithmetic the simple job of
adding can be expressed as 3+4=7 or three + four = seven. However, in algebra
the same could be written T + F = S-i.e. using the first letters of the words
to stand for the numbers. This is called an Equation-- a statement that two things
are equal. Equations have many governing rules-rules which allow discovering
unknown numbers that appear in an
equation with known numbers-and rules which make calculation with big numbers
just as easy as calculation with small numbers. For example, "x" (or any other
letter of the alphabet) stands for an unknown quantity. As in arithmetic,
addition is shown by + and subtraction is shown by -. When you put one letter
over the other--like a/b-- you are dividing b into a. Putting two symbols
together-- as ab-means to multiply them. In algebra the multiplication sign is
not used when two symbols are placed side by side. T x F is written TF and 3 x
T is written 3T.
Although certain symbols, marks, and letters customarily
represent quantities and operations, seldom would the letters T, F, and S (see
examples above) be used. Usually the early letters of the alphabet-a, b, c,
etc.-are applied to stand for constants (fixed or known numbers) and the late
letters-x, y, z-to stand for variables. Variables are quantities that may have
various values or that are unknown. The letter "n" is used to mean "any given
(or known) number". A Power of a number is the product or result you get when
you multiply the number by itself, one or more times. It is expressed by an Exponent
(a small number written after and higher than the number). When you read it
aloud as "three squared," this means 3 x 3 =9; or "two to the fifth power is
2x2x2x2x2 or 32. Roots, the opposite of a power, must be multiplied by itself
to produce a given number. The cube root (using a number three times as a
factor-4x4x4) of 64 is 4. A Series is a group of numbers related by some rule.
In an arithmetic series-1, 4, 7, 10-a constant number (here, 3) is added to
each term to give the next. Africans found a place for arithmetic and algebra
during their on-going activities on such vast construction projects-- as in
building temples, pyramids, irrigation works, and obelisks.
Website: www.jablifeskills.com
Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.
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