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Mathematician Reveals World’s Oldest Example of Applied Geometry

Geometry is a branch of mathematics that deals with the study of shapes, sizes, positions, and dimensions of objects in space. It has been an essential part of human civilization since ancient times. Recently, a mathematician has revealed the world's oldest example of applied geometry. This discovery has shed new light on the history of mathematics and its applications.

The Discovery

The discovery was made by Daniel Mansfield, a mathematician from the University of New South Wales in Australia. He was studying an ancient Babylonian tablet known as Plimpton 322, which was discovered in southern Iraq in the early 1900s. The tablet is believed to have been created around 3,700 years ago during the Old Babylonian period.

The Tablet

Plimpton 322 is a clay tablet that measures about 13 cm by 9 cm. It contains four columns and 15 rows of numbers written in cuneiform script, which was used by the Babylonians to write their language. The tablet is named after its previous owner, George Arthur Plimpton, an American collector who acquired it in the early 1900s.

The Geometry

Mansfield discovered that Plimpton 322 contains a series of numbers that form a Pythagorean triple. A Pythagorean triple is a set of three positive integers that satisfy the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

The Pythagorean triple on Plimpton 322 consists of three numbers: 119, 120, and 169. These numbers satisfy the Pythagorean theorem because:

119² + 120² = 14,161

169² = 28,561

14,161 + 28,561 = 42,722

?42,722 ? 206.98

The numbers 119 and 169 represent the lengths of the two shorter sides of a right-angled triangle, while the number 120 represents the length of the hypotenuse. This is the oldest known example of applied geometry in the world.

The Significance

The discovery of Plimpton 322 has significant implications for the history of mathematics and its applications. It shows that the Babylonians were using advanced mathematical techniques more than a thousand years before the Greeks. The tablet also demonstrates that the Babylonians had a sophisticated understanding of geometry and were using it to solve real-world problems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Daniel Mansfield's discovery of Plimpton 322 has revealed the world's oldest example of applied geometry. This ancient Babylonian tablet contains a Pythagorean triple that demonstrates the Babylonians' advanced understanding of mathematics and its applications. The discovery has shed new light on the history of mathematics and its development over time.

FAQs

Q: What is Plimpton 322?

A: Plimpton 322 is an ancient Babylonian tablet that contains a series of numbers that form a Pythagorean triple.

Q: Who discovered Plimpton 322?

A: Daniel Mansfield, a mathematician from the University of New South Wales in Australia, discovered Plimpton 322.

Q: What is a Pythagorean triple?

A: A Pythagorean triple is a set of three positive integers that satisfy the Pythagorean theorem.

Q: What is the significance of Plimpton 322?

A: The discovery of Plimpton 322 has significant implications for the history of mathematics and its applications. It shows that the Babylonians were using advanced mathematical techniques more than a thousand years before the Greeks.

Q: What does Plimpton 322 demonstrate?

A: Plimpton 322 demonstrates that the Babylonians had a sophisticated understanding of geometry and were using it to solve real-world problems.

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