• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.159-173
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• 2019

In this paper, we examine the brief history of the ring of four almonds regarding Mesopotamian mathematics, and present reasons why the Omar Khayyam's triangle, a special right triangle in a ring of four almonds, was essential for artisans due to its unique pattern. We presume that the ring of four almonds originated from a point symmetry figure given two concentric squares used in the proto-Sumerian Jemdet Nasr period (approximately 3000 B.C.) and a square halfway between two given concentric squares used during the time of the Old Akkadian period (2340-2200 B.C.) and the Old Babylonian age (2000-1600 B.C.). Artisans tried to create a new intricate pattern as almonds and 6-pointed stars by subdividing right triangles in the pattern of the popular altered Old Akkadian square band at the time. Therefore, artisans needed the Omar Khayyam's triangle, whose hypotenuse equals the sum of the short side and the perpendicular to the hypotenuse. We presume that artisans asked mathematicians how to construct the Omar Khayyam's triangle at a meeting between artisans and mathematicians in Isfahan. The construction of Omar Khayyam's triangle requires solving an irreducible cubic polynomial. Omar Khayyam was the first to classify equations of integer polynomials of degree up to three and then proceeded to solve all types of cubic equations by means of intersections of conic sections. Omar Khayyam's triangle gave practical meaning to the type of cubic equation $x^3+bx=cx^2+a$. The work of Omar Khayyam was completed by Descartes in the 17th century.

• Lingua Humanitatis
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• v.7
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• pp.157-203
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• 2005

The Epic of Gilgamesh drew heavily upon Mesopotamian literary tradition. Sin-leqe-uninni, the editor of Standard Version of the Epic of Gilgamesh in 13th century B.C.E. adopted the Old Babylonian version as well as older Sumerian tales about Gilgamesh. He also was very successful by extensive use of materials and literary forms originally unrelated to Gilgamesh. The epic opens with a standard type of hymnic-epic prologue. This study lens a measure of vindication to the theoretical approach by which Morris Jastrow recognized the diversity of the sources, which underlies the epic and succeeded in identifying some of them. Thanks to the ample documentation available for the literary development of the epic, we can trace the steps which its author and editors took with the result that the epic inspires fears and aspirations for more than three thousand years.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.171-199
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• 2022

In this study, we review contents to supplement the descriptions of the history of mathematics in the 2015 mathematics textbooks and teacher guides for the elementary school level and offer our opinion on them. For this purpose, we conducted a literature review on 24 types of 2015 mathematics textbooks and teacher guides for the elementary school level. The results of this study are as follows: A total of 10 topics were found whose contents were supplemented with descriptions. They were the "Arithmetic of the Ancient Egyptians," the "A'h-mosè Papyrus in Mathematics Textbooks of the Ancient Egyptians," "The Old Akkadian Square Band in Mesopotamia," "The Relationship of the Old Babylonians in Mesopotamia with the Angle," "The Pi of the Ancient Egyptians and the Old Babylonians," "The Square Roots 2 of the Ancient Egyptians and the Old Babylonians," "The Relationship of the Islamites with the Decimal Fraction," "Two Arguments for the Roots of the Golden Ratio," "The Relationship of Archimedes with the Exhaustion Method," and "The Design of Flats." Then, their specific supplements were suggested. It is expected that this will overcome the perspective of the history of the Axial Age and acknowledge and accept the perspective evidencing the transfer of mathematical culture from Ancient Egypt and Old Babylonia to Ancient Greece and Hellenism, and then through Central Asia to Europe.