Multicultural Mathematics

Dr. Rachel Hall

Assignment #1

Due Friday, September 24th

  1. Write the following in expanded form, and convert to our (Hindu-Arabic) numbers:
    1. 42five
    2. 100five
    3. 203four
    4. 10001two
  2. The dozenal system.  Write in terms of dozen and gross (122 = 144).  For example, 160 = (1 x 144) + (1 x 12) + (4 x 1) = one gross plus one dozen plus four.
    1. 39
    2. 290
  3. Convert the following:
    1. 5 (in our numbers) into base 2
    2. 19 into base 5
    3. 33 into base 3
    4. 100 into base 11
    5. 100 into base 12
  4. Egyptian numbers.
    1. Write  765,839  in Egyptian hieroglyphics.
    2. Write  2300,   230,    and    23  in Egyptian hieroglyphics.  What is the relationship between the hieroglyphics for these three numbers?
    3. Taxes in the ancient world were often one tenth of a farmer's harvest (our word tithe is related to the word tenth).   If an Egyptian scribe recorded how many sacks of grain a farmer has, how could he or she estimate one tenth of the total?
  5. Babylonian numbers.  Write the following in expanded form using base 60.  Then write the numbers in cuneiform.
    1. 130
    2. 1000
    3. 3612
  6. Translate the tablet.  What number is it a multiplication table for?  (Hint: the complicated-looking cuneiform symbol in the middle left-hand column means “times.”)