Journal for History of Mathematics (한국수학사학회지)

The Korean Society for History of Mathematics (한국수학사학회)
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Controversial History of Pi in Ancient Egypt, Old Babylonia, and Ancient Greek Mathematics

고대 이집트, 고바빌로니아, 고대 그리스 수학에 나타난 원주율 논쟁

  • Received : 2020.04.10
  • Accepted : 2020.08.20
  • Published : 2020.08.31
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Abstract

We examine how the formulas of the area and the circumference of a circle related to pi in the ancient Egyptian and the Old Babylonian fields of mathematics have been controversial. In particular, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Ahmes Papyrus Problem 48 and Moscow Mathematical Papyrus Problem 10 have raised extensive controversy over π. We propose the pi-theory of the Great Pyramid of Khufu as a dynamic symmetry based on Euclid's rectangle. In addition, we argue that the ancient Egyptian or Old Babylonian mathematics influenced Solomon's Molten Sea, Plato and Archimedes' pi.

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