A Review on The Story of Maths 1 (documentary)

A Review on The Story of Maths 1 (documentary)

The documentary entitled The Story of Maths, spoke of the mathematics that emerged on three of the world’s greatest countries in the ancient times. Professor Sautoy took all of us into the flight to Egypt- known to dummies as the land of pyramids. Math was said to have its first trail in this country. Day to day lives of Egyptians were a problem-solving, being ingenious is the optimal option they can have. Questions about the number of days between the flooding of the river and seasonal patterns definitely need answers. These answers was made possible by our Egyptian fathers and their life-changing discoveries- discoveries that made sense of existing patterns and mold the knowledge of this study we have today and perhaps for generations to come.

            Measurements are an important aspect in everybody’s lives. We walk on the earth where everything has value, is measured, and numbered- even our hair strands. For the Egyptians these are essential in putting order to the system of their civilization. Taxations on land must be done accordingly and accurately. Body parts such as the palm and the arm length were used as units of measuring. Presently, we have rulers, t-squares, steel and measuring tapes. But these innovations would not exist if it weren’t for the Egyptian’s initiative of inventing a nearly-accurate system of measurement. Also, they made use of the gift of ten fingers in counting. It is safe to say that they used the decimal system, similar to the numbers we have today. However they do not have a concept of place value, which will be discovered a number of years later.

            How is it possible to feed five equally hungry people with only three big loaves of bread, respecting everybody’s right and avoiding riots? The concept of fractions was introduced. Now, fairness is in the atmosphere and justice is served. Another interesting fact is the Egyptian’s excellence in shapes. Professor Sautoy said that he did not appreciated the pyramids that much until he came to see it in person. Well, if tickets and pocket money would fall from the skies then we can all have the chance to share and know the feeling of amazement the host had. Anyway, if we analyze it, the pyramid is made up of four triangles and a square as its base. If three pyramids were to be connected, a larger square will be formed. Egyptians were great problem solvers that they can approximate shapes based on the shape/s that they already understood.

            As the documentary gets more interesting and informative, the host continued to stroll around the city and perhaps look for things he can relate with Egypt’s ancient discoveries. He told us about pi’s initial discovery which is two hundredths away from the value we acknowledge presently. Also, the birth of the 3-4-5 triangle was spoken of. If we add the sum of the squares of the shorter sides, the answer will be equal to the square of the longest side. Familiar? A theorem which is a burden, I mean treasure- which will be later known as Pythagorean theorem.

Next is Babylonian mathematics. Clay tablets are concrete evidences, showing shapes, and practical problems which involve measuring and weighing. They have invented a unique number system having 60 as its base. Instead of using their fingers for counting, they chose to count their knuckles and multiplied it with the number of their fingers on one hand, which is five. In terms of divisibility, 60 is one versatile number as you can easily and happily divide it with 2,3, 4,5, 6. We tell time in terms of 60 as well- 60 seconds, 60 minutes.

Babylonian’s fascinations with the skies are evident in their recordings on the cycles of the moon and the frequency they do such activity- in this case, every month. In fact, their characters are based on it .Like the Egyptians, one of their problems concerns land. Math became a solution to that problem (ironically, it is math that gave  present students the problem—just joking).Quadratic equation. Also, their engineers’ precise calculations made it possible for the effective system of channeling water to communities.

If I am to play a game with them, my chances of losing would be as high as their chances of winning. Why would I think of playing with them anyway? I don’t have that courage to face their wise schemes. Babylonians are said to be good game players and no wonder, they are labeled as best tactical mathematicians in the world. One interesting fact is that they are also said to be the first sculptors to make symmetrical shapes- which is an important aspect in furniture design and other related areas.

           

“The grandeur that was Rome, the glory that was Greece.” Greeks were at their peak in terms of their visual arts, sports, theatre, music, dance, philosophy and architecture during the ancient times. They are also aces in mathematics. Their strong inclination to math gave way for the birth of one of the most significant aspect in this field- proofs. Axioms, postulates and theorems took the scene and primarily dominated the face of mathematics of not only Greece, but the entire world as well. Mysteries and unfamiliar things and events surround us. These need explanations which can be deductively done, with the help of existing approved truths.

What would you say to Pythagoras if he pops out of nowhere and appear to you face to face? Perhaps a moment of awkward silence will envelop the air. Then, uncountable things would sway around your mind and you will find it hard to decide what to ask first or if you would really talk to him in the first place or just ran away because you see dead people. Anyway, he was a famous teacher during his time. One of his students who actually discovered the formula on the hypotenuse-thing, named the formula in honor of his teacher. How thoughtful of him/her. Music was one thing that stimulated all senses Pythagoras have. Well, his love for music was the reason for the creation of the harmonic series.

Many of us heard Plato’s name. People recognized him as a philosopher but, he was also a mathematician. Platonic solids which includes tetrahedron , hexahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron are regular convex polyhedron having congruent faces of regular polygons. His love for geometry was so great that he put these words in his Academy “ Let no one ignorant of geometry enter here”. Ouch.

            Euclid may be unfamiliar to dummies but his book, the Elements, contain axioms, logical deductions, theorems and formulas for calculating volumes of cones and cylinders. Just imagine how brilliant he was to be able to discover, innovate and share his knowledge and have it written in a book which is being referred by modern mathematicians and enthusiast despite it old age of 2,000 years.

            Scholars and mathematicians spent almost their whole lives in schools and libraries and found the answers they have been looking for in those places. But sometimes great things happen in places you least expect them to be like gardens, bedrooms and even in the bathroom. Yes, while you’re taking a bath or performing your natural thing as a human being. “ Eureka”. The discovery of the concept of water displacement. That epic word uttered by an epic man with epic discoveries. Archimedes, as said in the documentary, “pushed the limits”. From the usual stuffs of studying polygons, he moved on to the concept of gravity. He is also good in inventing weapons of mass destruction and mirrors which “harnest the power of the sun to attack the Roman ships on fire” (documentary). Now who wants to make war? Brace your souls. “Even unto death, Archimedes’ devotion to mathematics was unwavering.”- Professor Sautoy.

            Who run the world? Girls. But, during those times, it was frowned upon for women to excel and have her voice be heard especially in math. Well, Hypatia continued to teach lots of students and gained many followers. She’s an astronomer who invented the charting of the celestial bodies and of hydrometer, which measures the relative density and gravity of fluids. She was brutally killed for being a pagan. Yet her legacy remained.

            People can learn a lot from the documentary. Although there may be dull and sungotic moments and facts, over-all it was a fulfillment to watch. It has the best of both worlds- long enough for an overview of only three countries but short enough to deliver enormous and very interesting facts.

            Natural inquisitiveness. Healthy and unhealthy curiosity. Love for numbers. Thirst for knowledge. For practicality’s sake. Music. Information outburst. Boredom. These are some of the forces that led those mathematicians to deliver facts we have now. Woe to us-I mean, thanks to them.

Glory to God