Ancient Greek Mathematics
Because the Greeks
had only very clumsy ways of writing down numbers,
they didn't like algebra. They found it very hard to write down equations
or number problems. Instead, Greek mathematicians were more focused
on geometry, and used geometric methods to solve problems that you might
use algebra for.
Greek mathematicians were also very interested in proving that certain
mathematical ideas were true. So they spent a lot of time using geometry
to prove that things were always true, even though people like the Egyptians
and Babylonians already
knew that they were true most of the time anyway.
The Greeks in general were very interested in rationality,
in things making sense and hanging together. They wanted to tie up the
loose ends. They liked music,
because music followed strict rules to produce beauty. So did architecture,
and so did mathematics.
Why did people want to punch Socrates?
Where did Egyptians bury your liver?
How old are the Rocky Mountains?
What does a half-timbered house look like?
How do you spin wool?
(a project)
Some famous Greek mathematicians were Pythagoras, Aristotle, Anaxagoras, Euclid, Archimedes, Thales, and Aristarchus. (You will find a geometric proof of the Pythagorean theorem on the Pythagoras page).
To find out more about Greek mathematics, check out these books from Amazon.com or at your local library:
The Joy of Pi, by David Blatner (1999). It's not all about ancient Greece, but some of it is. For teenagers.
History of Greek Mathematics: From Aristarchus to Diophantus, by Thomas L. Heath (1921, reprinted 1981). A lot of Euclid, but also describes who the other major Greek mathematicians were and what they did.
Episodes from the Early History of Mathematics, by Asger Aaboe (1997).
Pythagoras
Anaxagoras
Aristarchus
Thales
Euclid
Main Greek science page
Main Greeks page
