Math - GENESIS

Eye of Horus

http://ppw.kuleuven.be/~peterc/img/horus4.gif

(1) = 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + 1/64,

The Ancient Egyptians were extremely advanced for their time. They were one of the first civilizations to use fractions and apply them to everyday life. In addition, they used these fractions as symbols as well. For instance, the 1/2 represents smell while the 1/4 (the pupil) signifies sight. The 1/8 symbolizes thought, 1/16 represents hearing, 1/32 signifies taste, and the 1/64 represents touch. This mathematical "eye" led to many other mathematics such as weights and measures. In addition, it also led to the Egyptian fraction system.

Logarithms

http://www.intmath.com/Exponential-logarithmic-functions/log10.jpg

John Napier was the first to create these complex mathematical terms. He wrote about his discovery in Mirifici Logarithmorum Canonis Descriptio. This discovery led to many accomplishments in science, particularly astronomy, because it allowed scientists to solve rather complicated equations and calculations.

Mayan's and the Concept of Zero

http://www.guidetobelize.info/images/maya_calc.png

The Mayan’s basic way of math was based on twenty, unlike our system today, which is based on ten. The system based on 20 is referred to as the vigesimal system. Also, instead of numbers, they used symbols, such as circles and dots. The interesting thing about their system was that they came up with it because they believed in counting with their fingers and toes. Mayan mathematics was the most complex mathematical system ever created in the Americas. The Mayan’s number system had only three symbols. They were a dot, a bar, and the shell. The dot represented one, the shell was zero, and the bar was five. Later on, since it was hard to make large numbers they used a head symbol representing the moon, which also meant the number twenty. The Mayan's were the first civilization to fully understand the concept of zero. The concept of zero is solely based upon the fact that it is a place holder and when multiplied by anything, the outcome of that equation will be zero.