• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.223-236
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• 2020

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.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.221-232
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• 2017

In this paper, we discuss how ancient Egyptians find out the area of the circle based on $\ll$Ahmose Papyrus$\gg$. Vogel and Engels studied the quadrature of the circle, one of the basic concepts of ancient Egyptian mathematics. We look closely at the interpretation based on the approximate right triangle of Robins and Shute. As circumstantial evidence for Robbins and Shute's hypothesis, Egyptians prior to the 12th dynasty considered the perception of a right triangle as examples of 'simultaneous equation', 'unit of length', 'unit of slope', 'Egyptian triple', and 'right triangles transfer to Greece'. Finally, we present a method to utilize the squaring the circle by ancient Egyptians interpreted by Robbins and Shute as the dynamic symmetry of Hambidge.