• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2010

Introduced in this paper is one of the most remarkable Ottoman institutions, the Ottoman Palace School-Enderun, with a focus on the life story of Matrak$\c{c}{\i}$ Nasuh, one of its most noted graduates and teachers. Matrak$\c{c}{\i}$ Nasuh's life and work as a prominent mathematician and a teacher of mathematics are investigated as a case study. It shows how young boys and girls were selected because of their academic potential, brought to Istanbul, and educated in Enderun to serve the Empire. This research articulates the mathematics education on the first institutionalized gifted education system of the world and discusses its implications for today.