• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2011

It is well known that the sexagesimal cycle(干支) has been playing very important role in ordinary human affairs including astrology and almanacs and the arts of divination(術數). Yin-Yang school related the cycle with the sixty four hexagrams and the system of five notes(五音) and twelve pitch-pipes(十二律), and the processes to relate them are called respectively NaJia(納甲) and NaYin(納音) and quoted in Shen Kuo's Meng qi bi tan(夢溪筆談, 1095). Yang Hui obtained the process NaYin in the context of mathematics. In this paper we show that Yang Hui introduced the concept and notion of functions and then using congruences and the composite of functions, he could succeed to describe perfectly the process in his Xu gu zhai qi suan fa(續古摘奇算法, 1275). We also note that his concept and notion of functions are the earliest ones in the history of mathematics.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2011

In Tian mu bi lei cheng chu jie fa(田畝比類乘除捷法) of Yang Hui suan fa(楊輝算法)), Yang Hui annotated detailed comments on the method to find roots of quadratic equations given by Liu Yi in his Yi gu gen yuan(議古根源) which gave a great influence on Chosun Mathematics. In this paper, we show that 'Zeng cheng kai fang fa'(增乘開方法) evolved from a process of binomial expansions of $(y+{\alpha})^n$ which is independent from the synthetic divisions. We also show that extending the results given by Liu Yi-Yang Hui and those in Suan xue qi meng(算學啓蒙), Chosun mathematican Hong Jung Ha(洪正夏) elucidated perfectly the 'Zeng cheng kai fang fa' as the present synthetic divisions in his Gu il jib(九一集).

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.219-232
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• 2016

In this paper, the problem posed in Yeonhwando is presumed like the following: "Make the sum of eight numbers in each 13 octagons to be 292, and the sum of four numbers in each 12 squares to be 146 using every numbers once from 1 to 72." Regarding this problem, in this paper, firstly, it is commented that there can be a lot of derived solutions from the Yang Hui's solution. Secondly, the Yang Hui's solution is generalized by using sequence 1 in which the sum of neighbouring two numbers are 73, 73-x by turns, and sequence 2 in which the sum of neighbouring two numbers are 73, 73+x by turns. Thirdly, the Yang Hui's solution is generalized by using the alternating method.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.26 no.2_3
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• pp.123-130
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• 2013

It is well known that SuanXue QiMeng has given the greatest contribution to the development of Chosun mathematics and that the topics and their presentation including TianYuanShu in the book have been one of the most important backbones in the developement. The purpose of this paper is to reveal that Zhu ShiJie emphasized decidedly mathematical structures in his SuanXue QiMeng, which in turn had a great influence to Chosun mathematicians' structural approaches to mathematics. Investigating structural approaches in Chinese mathematics books before SuanXue QiMeng, we conclude that Zhu's attitude to mathematical structures is much more developed than his precedent ones and that his mathematical structures are very close to the present ones.