Editing History of mathematics (section)

== Egyptian ==
{{Main|Egyptian mathematics}}
[[File:Moskou-papyrus.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Image of Problem 14 from the [[Moscow Mathematical Papyrus]]. The problem includes a diagram indicating the dimensions of the truncated pyramid.]]
[[Egypt]]ian mathematics refers to mathematics written in the [[Egyptian language]]. From the [[Hellenistic period]], [[Greek language|Greek]] replaced Egyptian as the written language of [[Egyptians|Egyptian]] scholars. Mathematical study in [[Egypt]] later continued under the [[Caliphate|Arab Empire]] as part of [[Islamic mathematics]], when [[Arabic]] became the written language of Egyptian scholars. Archaeological evidence has suggested that the Ancient Egyptian counting system had origins in Sub-Saharan Africa.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eglash |first1=Ron |title=African fractals : modern computing and indigenous design |date=1999 |publisher=Rutgers University Press |location=New Brunswick, N.J. |isbn=0813526140 |pages=89,141}}</ref> Also, fractal geometry designs which are widespread among Sub-Saharan African cultures are also found in Egyptian architecture and cosmological signs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Eglash, R. |title=Fractal Geometry in African Material Culture |journal=Symmetry: Culture and Science |date=1995 |volume=6-1 |pages=174–177}}</ref>

The most extensive Egyptian mathematical text is the [[Rhind papyrus]] (sometimes also called the Ahmes Papyrus after its author), dated to c. 1650 BC but likely a copy of an older document from the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] of about 2000–1800 BC.<ref name="Boyer 1991 loc=Egypt p. 11">{{Harv|Boyer|1991|loc="Egypt" p. 11}}</ref> It is an instruction manual for students in arithmetic and geometry. In addition to giving area formulas and methods for multiplication, division and working with unit fractions, it also contains evidence of other mathematical knowledge,<ref>[http://www.mathpages.com/home/kmath340/kmath340.htm Egyptian Unit Fractions] at MathPages</ref> including [[composite number|composite]] and [[prime number]]s; [[arithmetic mean|arithmetic]], [[geometric mean|geometric]] and [[harmonic mean]]s; and simplistic understandings of both the [[Sieve of Eratosthenes]] and [[Perfect number|perfect number theory]] (namely, that of the number 6).<ref>[<!-- http://mathpages.com/home/rhind.htm -->http://mathpages.com/home/kmath340/kmath340.htm Egyptian Unit Fractions]</ref> It also shows how to solve first order [[linear equation]]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/HistTopics/Egyptian_papyri.html|title=Egyptian Papyri|website=www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk}}</ref> as well as [[arithmetic series|arithmetic]] and [[geometric series]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/Ancient-Africa/mad_ancient_egypt_algebra.html#areithmetic+series|title=Egyptian Algebra – Mathematicians of the African Diaspora|website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}</ref>

Another significant Egyptian mathematical text is the [[Moscow papyrus]], also from the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] period, dated to c. 1890 BC.<ref name="Boyer 1991 loc=Egypt p. 19">{{Harv|Boyer|1991|loc="Egypt" p. 19}}</ref> It consists of what are today called ''word problems'' or ''story problems'', which were apparently intended as entertainment. One problem is considered to be of particular importance because it gives a method for finding the volume of a [[frustum]] (truncated pyramid).

Finally, the [[Berlin Papyrus 6619]] (c. 1800 BC) shows that ancient Egyptians could solve a second-order [[algebraic equation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/Ancient-Africa/mad_ancient_egyptpapyrus.html#berlin|title=Egyptian Mathematical Papyri – Mathematicians of the African Diaspora|website=www.math.buffalo.edu}}</ref>