The New Hindu Arabic Numerals - 2106 Words

It is late at night, as two men huddle over their tables in 15th century Europe. The man with the quill pen finishes off his last numeral with a flourish, glancing briefly at the man a few feet away, furiously moving counters along a table. The first man has efficiently reached the correct answer with the new Hindu-Arabic numerals. He is the Algorist. The other man scrambles to finish gliding the counters, nervously glimpsing the Algorist’s completed work, he is the Abacist. Lady Arithmetica towers over the two and it is evident who is winning the race. Her clothes are covered with the Hindu-Arabic numerals and she looks approvingly upon the Algorist’s effortless calculations. The Algorist triumphs over the Abacist in the debate over which technique is better, apparent in the Abacist’s worried expression and the Algorist’s smug smile as the dominance of the abacus slips away. This illustration from Margarita philosophica, published in 1503 by Gregor Reisch captures the great feud between users of the abacus and the users of the new Hindu-Arabic numerals introduced in the 12th century. The debate highlighted the tendency of humans to strive for efficiency and new, more â€Å"advanced† technology like the algorithms of numerals over older, reliable technologies such as the abacus. The word ‘abacus’ encompasses all of the counting devices that humans around the world have created since the Babylonians began writing with dust, as early as 2400 BCE, in an attempt to make everydayShow MoreRelatedAnnual Islamic Symposium On The Arts And Sciences1042 Words   |  5 PagesSiddarth Kumar H Block Mathematics News Article Annual Islamic Symposium on The Arts and Sciences Inside Dover-Sherborn Regional High School In Room 214 the Annual Islamic Symposium on The Arts and Sciences has just concluded. The symposium was one of the most important events of our time, where notable scholars and key figures met in the â€Å"House of Wisdom† in order to hold panel discussions and present displays on the advancements in the fields of Art and Science through the 15th century. MathematicsRead MoreThe Developement of Mathematics Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pageseach number, they were remarkably similar across countries. Each number up to ten was made up of an increasing number of strokes while there were special symbols for 10, 50, 100, etc. These numbers were just a small step up from tallying. These numeral systems were fine for addition or subtraction. But for multiplication or division, they were poor. For example, in the roman numeration CCCLXVII + CCCXXXVI is doable by combining the number of each symbols and converting them to a higher symbol ifRead MoreThe Different Names of Fibonacci Essay1810 Words   |  8 Pageswould meet with many merchants. While doing this Leonardo learned many different systems of mathematics. Leonardo recognized the advantages of the different mathematical systems of the different countries they visited. But he realized that the â€Å"Hindu-Arabic† system of mathematics had many more advantages than all of the other systems combined. Leonardo stopped travelling with his father in the year 1200. He returned to Pisa and began writing. Books by Fibonacci Leonardo wrote numerousRead MoreMathematics: The Fibonacci Sequence1323 Words   |  5 Pageswhich inspired him at a young age about the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. A famous mathematician, revolutionised western number systems and most widely known for his development of the Fibonnaci Sequence and the role he played in the teaching of the Hindu–Arabic numeral system in Europe. The Liber Abaci, also known as the ‘Book of Calculation’ was Leonardo’s life’s work put on pages, in which he introduced the methods of the Indians and Arabic numerals. It also had many differing applications thatRead MoreLeonardo Bonacci : An Italian Mathematician1388 Words   |  6 Pagesbecomes vizier of Egypt. A year before Fibonacci’s birth, Saladin becomes supreme sultan over Muslim forces. Furthermore, Richard Lionheart, the eldest son of Henry 2, becomes the new ruler of England. When Liber abaci was published in 1202, Europeans begin to learn and use Arabic numerals as opposed to Roman numerals. In the year 1212, thousands of people head to Jerusalem to rescue the Holy Land from the Muslims. Most of those people were chil dren who ended up being killed or sold into slaveryRead MoreAn Article On Islamic Mathematics1225 Words   |  5 Pagestimes. Even though the numerical systems were different, they all had one thing in common, no written form for the number zero. An Islamic mathematician was the first to introduce the number zero in the numerical system. However, the introduction of a new numerical system was not the only contribution this Islamic mathematician was all about. Moreover, the Middle East is the birthplace of Algebra. Algebra has been used for many centuries throughout the world. In today’s world, Algebra is a fundamentalRead More Leonardo Fibonacci Essay2030 Words   |  9 PagesAfrica, Fibonacci discovered the Hindu-Arabic number system, which he had not been exposed to in Europe. When his father arranged for him to work for the Pisan republic, Leonardo took advantage of his business trips to countries such as Greece, Sicily, Egypt and Provence. He studied the methods of mat hematics that were practiced in these various nations. He discovered that the Hindu-Arabic numerals were much more effective and easier to manipulate than the Roman numeral system used in Italy. [i] Read MoreHummanities 3991 Essay2106 Words   |  9 Pagesa Muslim mathematician and astronomer. Al-Khwarizmi’s major works introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the concepts of Algebra into European mathematics. His work on elementary algebra was translated into Latin in the twelfth century. This is where the term â€Å"Algebra† is derived from. He introduced the zero in mathematics. Al-Khwarizmi introduced a second work to the west. This was an introduction of Hindu-Arabic numerals. His third book contained coordinates of localities in the known world basedRead MoreInvention Over Time : Technology1363 Words   |  6 Pagesvii). Pacey explains this concept through basic guns, and gunpowder in China (Pacey vii). These tools were invented in China, but when news of this traveled to Europe it created new and better devices, such as the cannon. In the United States they created Transistors, while Japan developed new products based off of this electric device. Stimulus ef fects create new and formidable inventions such as the cannon and transistors. Pacey conveys his point well because he brings it up in almost every chapterRead MoreThe Versailles Treaty World War I Ended1310 Words   |  6 Pagesgovernment of Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk.) He believed that the Republic of Turkey has to modernize politically and economically. Under his leadership he created secular institutions of education and justice, gave women the right to vote, introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the Roman alphabet, and allowed western clothing etc. A serious Mandate System was created by the League of Nation, where Allies governed the former Turkish and German Colonies in Asia and North Africa until they became ready to govern