Fractions in History

By rramana
  • 2000 BCE

    Ancient Egyptians

    • Egyptians used fractions in trade and building. They mainly worked with unit fractions (fractions with 1 as the numerator, like 1/2 or 1/3.
      • The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus contains examples of how they represented fractions by adding unit fractions (e.g., 3/4=1/2+1/4).
  • 1900 BCE

    Babylonians

    • Babylonians used a base-60 system, making fractions similar to decimals but with 60 as the base instead of 10. This system influences how we measure time (e.g., 60 minutes = 1 hour).
  • 500 BCE

    Greek Contributions Pythagoras

    Greek mathematicians used fractions to explore ratios in music and geometry.
    - They saw fractions as ratios of whole numbers, like 2/3, to compare lengths or areas.
  • 500

    Indian and Arabic Advance

    • Indian mathematicians like Aryabhata used fractions in astronomy and developed rules for adding and multiplying them.
      • They introduced the concept of fractions with a numerator and denominator written one above the other, separated by a line (the format we use today).
  • 800

    Islamic World

    • Scholars like Al-Khwarizmi used fractions in algebra and equations, spreading knowledge of fractions to Europe.
  • 1200

    Fractions in Europe Middle Age

    • Middle Ages (c. 1200 CE):
      • European mathematicians like Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) learned about fractions from Arabic scholars and introduced them to Europe in books like Liber Abaci.

  • Fractions in Europe - 1600 CE and Modern

    • 1600s Fractions were formalized further during the Renaissance, with rules for operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division becoming standardized. Modern Fractions
    • Fractions are now a fundamental part of mathematics, used in everything from dividing pizzas to solving complex scientific problems. They've also evolved into related concepts like decimals and percentages.