Jöran Friberg

A Remarkable Collection of Babylonian Mathematical Texts (eBook, PDF)

Manuscripts in the Schøyen Collection: Cuneiform Texts I

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Springer New York
• Erscheinungstermin: 1. Oktober 2007
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780387489773
• Artikelnr.: 37286467

Autorenporträt

The book is a broad survey of Babylonian mathematics with many new and surprising results. It is based on a large collection of previously unpublished mathematical cuneiform texts in the possession of a Norwegian collector, Martin Schoyen.

Inhaltsangabe

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Acknowledgements.- Introduction.- Documentation of Provenance.- Abbreviations.- How to Get a Better Understanding of Mathematical Cuneiform Texts.- Old Babylonian Arithmetical Hand Tablets.- Old Babylonian Arithmetical Table Texts.- Old Babylonian Metrological Table Texts.- Mesopotamian Weight Stones.- Neo-Sumerian Field Maps (Ur III).- An Old Sumerian Metro-Mathematical Table Text (Early Dynastic IIIa).- Old Babylonian Hand Tablets with Practical Mathematics.- Old Babylonian Hand Tablets with Geometric Exercises.- The Beginning and the End of the Sumerian King List.- Three Old Babylonian Mathematical Problem Texts from Uruk.- Three Problem Texts Not Belonging to Any Known Group of Texts.- App. 1. Subtractive Notations for Numbers in Mathematical Cuneiform Texts.- App. 2. The Old Babylonian Combined Multiplication Table.- App. 3. An Old Babylonian Combined Arithmetical Algorithm.- App. 4. Cuneiform Systems of Notations for Numbers and Measures.- App. 5. Old Babylonian Complete Metrological Tables.- App. 6. Metro-Mathematical Cuneiform Texts from the Third Millennium BC.- App. 7. CUNES 50-08-001. A Combined Metro-Mathematical Table Text (ED IIIb).- App. 8. Plimpton 322, a Table of Parameters for igi-igi.bi Problems.- App. 9. Many-Place Squares of Squares in Late Babylonian Mathematical Texts.- App. 10. Color Photos of Selected Texts.- Vocabulary for the MS Texts.- Index of Subjects.- Index of Texts.- References.

Rezensionen

From the reviews:

"This fascinating book presents 121 unpublished mathematical clay tablets from the Norwegian Schøyen Collection ... . The book is divided into 12 chapters, 10 appendices, a vocabulary for MS texts, an index of subjects ... and a large list of references. ... Many pictures, drawings and coloured photos of the most interesting tablets are also included. ... opens up Babylonian mathematics to a new generation of mathematicians, historians of science and mathematics, teachers and students. It can therefore be recommended to a wide audience." (European Mathematical Society Newsletter, June, 2008)

"We welcome the book under review, a study of the Martin Schøyen collection ... . this collection include exemplars of virtually every known type of mathematical tablet, as well as some types of tablets that have never been published. ... Friberg's book will be invaluable for anyone studying Mesopotamian mathematics, as it provides so many more examples of mathematical ideas that were used by the scribes. ... Any good library in the history of mathematics should possess copies ... ." (Victor J. Katz, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2008 h)