Math 161
Spring, 2008

A copy of the syllabus is here.

#1 (assigned 1/16).
READ pp. 1-42 of Boyer and Merzbach (BM) by 1/23.

The two books I mentioned in class on 1/18 are Mathematics in the Time of the Pharaohs by
Richard Gillings and The Exact Sciences in Antiquity by Otto Neugebauer. Both are available
from Dover (i.e., cheap).

Here is the image of hieroglyphic numerals I showed in class, and
here are the hieratic numerals I also showed you.

Here is a better map of ancient Mesopotamia.

Here is a list of suggested paper topics.

Here is a small web page on Babylonian (Mesopotamian) mathematics.

I have put some images about basic astronomy onto a separate page.

#2 (assigned 1/25).
READ chapter 4 of BM by 1/30.
Here is a list of STUDY PROBLEMS in Egyptian and Babylonian (Mesopotamian) mathematics. I will go over them next week.

The FIRST QUIZ will take place at the end of class on Friday, 2/8. It will have 3 problems and last 15 minutes. The problems will be
based on the study questions, which I will do in class on Friday, 2/1.

Here  is a page with information about Greek culture and mathematics.

#3 (assigned 2/1).
READ chapter 5 by 2/6.

The SECOND QUIZ will take place at the end of class on Friday, 2/29. Like the first quiz, it will have 3 problems and last 15 minutes. Topics TBA.

#4 (assigned 2/11).
READ chapter 6 by 2/15.

#5 (assigned 2/15).
READ chapter 7 by 2/22.
Here is a list of study problems in Greek mathematics. I'll do them on 2/22 or 2/25.

UPDATE (2/20): As announced in class on 2/20, I will go over the study problems on MONDAY, 2/25.

#6 (assigned 2/25).
RE-READ chapter 7 (because, of course, you've already read it once) and READ chapter 8 by 3/5.

Here is a list of suggested topics for your SECOND paper.

#7 (assigned 3/17).
READ BM, pp. 140-150 by 3/24, and chapter 10 by 3/28.
The THIRD QUIZ will take place in the last fifteen minutes of class on Friday, April 4. It will have 3 problems.
The FOURTH and FINAL QUIZ will take place in the last fifteen minutes of class on Wednesday, April 23. It will also have 3 problems.

#8 (assigned 3/21).
Here is a list of study problems in Greek and Hellenistic mathematics. I'll do them on 3/28 or 3/31.

#9 (assigned 3/31).
READ pp. 176-191 by 4/4, and pp. 206-224 by 4/11.

Here is a link to the "Mechanical Problems" treatise mentioned in the New York Times article I passed out in class on April 2.

Here is a page with information about Indian culture and mathematics.

Here is a list of study problems on Hellenistic and Hindu mathematics.

Here is a small web page on Islamic culture and mathematics.