Math History

• About Basic Geometry [Santiago, 10/14/1998]
  Who developed basic geometry? What is it used for? Who uses it?

• African-American Mathematicians [Dean, 11/07/1996]
  I am trying to compile a list of African American mathematicians.

• Ancient Numeration Systems, Place Value [Hakeem Hart, 6/4/1996]
  I am trying to get some information on ancient number systems, especially African and Roman systems.

• Constructing Polygons [Grant, 06/03/1998]
  How do you construct a regular pentagon and a regular decagon? Can you construct a regular n-gon?

• Fermat's Last Theorem: Explanation [Renjen, 11/02/1997]
  Please give me some information on Fermat's Last Theorem.

• First Day of the 21st Century [Prejean, 12/01/1999]
  What is the true date of the first day of the 21st century? From what day are we counting 2000 years?

• The Four Color Map problem [Lisa, 11/11/1997]
  What is the four-color map problem?

• History Of Numbers [Lesa, 09/04/1997]
  My Algebra 2 teacher asked us to do a report on the history of numbers.

• Information About Topology [Prakash, 11/12/1996]
  Where can I learn more about topology?

• Lattice Multiplication [Susan, 8/30/1996]
  Can you please explain the lattice method of multiplication?

• Logarithms: History and Use [Temple, 7/12/1996]
  How do I explain why logarithms work to non-math-oriented people? Also, what is the history of the development of the concept of logarithm? Why is it called a "logarithm"?

• Math and Musical Scales [Benson, 02/10/1997]
  What is the space between half steps? Where did they come up with octaves and why did they choose eighth notes?

• Modular Forms and Elliptic Curves: Taniyama-Shimura [Grech, 10/30/1997]
  I watched a PBS show on Fermat's last theorem and they kept talking about modular forms and elliptic curves and how they are related. What are they, and how so they relate to one another?

• Perfect Numbers [Ken, 12/07/1996]
  What are the first 10 perfect numbers? Is there a formula for getting a perfect number?

• Properties and Postulates [Nwasokwa, 08/04/1999]
  How do you discover or create a property? What is the difference between a property and a postulate? Do we have to prove all properties?

• The Third Millennium [Hutchison, 01/23/2000]
  When does the Third Millennium begin? Are there any inherent predictions or unverifiable assumptions within math?

• Tower of Hanoi [Ardeshna, 02/26/1997]
  I need help with finding out the least number of moves it would take to move 64 rings from one tower to another.

• What is a slide rule? [Cherie, 07/27/1997]
  What does a slide rule do and how does it work?

• Why Simplify Square Roots? [Cendrowski, 05/17/1999]
  We have been trained to simplify square roots, but we are now looking at the reasons why we should continue to teach the process.

• Why There are 12 Tones in a Scale [Ashely, 12/28/2000]
  Why are there 12 tones in an octave? Can you explain the significance or the equation r^n = 2^m? Also, what's so special about a fifth? Why should the scale be based on the fraction 3/2?

• Year 0 [Warger, 10/19/1998]
  How many years are there between 10 B.C. and 10 A.D.?

• Did Pi Ruin Socrates' Career? [Leadon, 11/3/1994]
  This is a math history question. Is it true that Socrates is believed to have been imprisoned for teaching the existence of pi? I understand that the belief in, or the teaching of, the existence of pi was considered heresy in his day.

• Why m for slope? [Koch, 11/9/1994]
  My class wants me to ask you why the letter m was selected to represent slope.

• Why x and y? [Porter, 11/30/1994]
  Can Dr. Math tell me where we get x and y?

• Where did Pi come from? [Gilbert, 12/2/1994]
  We are an adult high school and we were wondering if you could answer our question. Where did the word pi come from, and how did someone determine it was equal to 3.14?

• Tower of Hanoi Problem [Holl, 1/3/1995]
  I gave my class the Tower of Hanoi problem and legend and, as a project, with the aid of many towers we discovered the patterns for the tower and when the world would end according to the legend. Where and when did the legend originate?

• Where does sine come from? [Wu, 1/6/1995]
  Who was the inventor of Sine? And when did he/she discover it? Also, how did he/she do it?

• Origins and Originality [Suen, 1/12/1995]
  I have always wondered how the great mathematicians derived their formulas based on nothing more than logic and tedious devotion. What are the origins of math?

• Where does pi come from? [George, 1/13/1995]
  I was wondering how exactly the math notation pi was derived, and whoever derived it, why did he make up that symbol for pi?

• Rosetta Stone and the Rock at Behunistan [Steinkamp, 1/25/1995]
  I am in a mathematics history class and I am looking for any information relating to the Rosetta Stone used in Egypt and the Rock at Behunistan, of the Babylonians.

• Fermat's Last Theorem [Shefl, 2/15/1995]
  What is the latest with Fermat's Last Theorem?

• Why Does 1+1=2? [Bhayana, 2/28/1995]
  Nobody that I ask has been able to answer that question with an explanation. Notice the word WHY, not HOW.

• Einstein and Math [Elkins, 3/4/1995]
  I have to give a presentation to my class on Albert Einstein and I wondered if you could give me some information on how he related to math or geometry.

• Fermat's Last Theorem [Harhalakis, 3/19/1995]
  Is is true that the second rule of Fermat has been proved?

• Definitions of Rational, Irrational, and Mathematics [Adamson, 5/9/1995]
  Why are rational and irrational numbers called by those names? Also, how do you define Mathematics?

• Was Mathematics Invented or Discovered? [Mergendoller, 5/17/1995]
  Was mathematics invented or discovered? Seems like mathematicians ponder and invent, and yet, the book of nature...

• Proving Fermat's Theorem [Fleitas, 6/22/1995]
  Is Fermat's Last Theorem already proved?

• Fermat's Last Theorem [Lord, 6/27/1995]
  I read recently in a computer magazine that someone from England has proved Fermat's last theorem. Could you send me more details?

• The Origin and Meaning of Q.E.D. [Morgan, 9/20/1995]
  What does Q.E.D. stand for?

• Mathematical Notation [Leonhart, 11/1/1995]
  Is there a source that explores the "mathematical alphabet"?

• Lorenzo Mascheroni and Emmy Noether [Bau, 11/15/1995]
  What kind of discovery did Lorenzo Mascheroni make? Also, what woman mathematician was born in 1882 and at what U.S. college did she end her teaching career?

• Sonya Kovalevskaya [Rena, 11/19/1995]
  Could you please advise me on where I can find information on a mathematician by the name of Sonya Kovalevskaya?

• Peter Lax [Spins, 1/31/1996]
  I am researching Peter Lax for a math project. Do you know of any Web sites where I could find information about him?

• Early Development of Geometry [Mabbott, 2/5/1996]
  I am trying to find some parallels between the East and the West in the development of early geometry.

• al-Karaji [Unknown, 2/17/1996]
  We are working on a 9th grade project and need to know as much as we can about al-Karkhi.

• Women in Mathematics [Walls, 3/6/1996]
  Would someone answer questions from eleventh grade girls about being a woman mathematician?

• Kumon Math [Boyer, 3/24/1996]
  Do you know how I can find information on the Kumon method of teaching mathematics? It was developed by Mr. Toru Kumon of Japan in 1958...

• Riemann, Mayan Math [Rob, 5/20/1996]
  Math projects: A. Riemann - a German mathmatician; B. The Mayan number system and calendar; C. Probability.

• The Königsberg Bridge [Song, 5/20/1996]
  Do you have information on Konigsberg's bridge?

• Fermat's Last Theorem [Moazzezi, 5/26/1996]
  Have mathmaticians really proved Fermat's Last Theorem?

• Calculator Addition [Anthony, 6/30/1996]
  How does a calculator add?

• Origin of the Quadratic Equation [Cody, 7/12/1996]
  Who discovered the Quadratic Equation?

• You Can't Trisect an Angle [Isenhoour, 7/16/1996]
  Who proved you can't trisect an angle?

• Geometry History [Alfonso, 8/8/1996]
  I'm looking information about the history of Geometry.

• Halving and Halving Again - Zeno's Paradox [Chris, 8/22/1996]
  Since we can never really get to zero by reducing something by halves, does that mean that we are floating on air?

• Euclid [Lakewood, 8/23/1996]
  Who is considered the father of mathematics?

• Golden Rectangle History [Jackson, 9/7/1996]
  What is the history of the golden rectangle? When was it discovered and by whom?

• Influential Mathematicians in History [Benda, 9/12/1996]
  Is there any one really cool famous individual with a major influence on math who you could mention?

• Dedekind Cuts [Stern, 10/23/1996]
  What is a Dedekind cut?

• Matrices and Computer Programming [Robert, 11/05/1996]
  Why are matrix multiplication and matrix algebra the way they are?

• Completing the Cube [Smolka, 11/28/1996]
  Is there some method analogous to completing the square for higher dimension polynomials?

• Abraham Kaestner and Euclid's Fifth (Parallel) Postulate [Kris, 12/02/1996]
  Where can I find information on Abraham Kaestner?

• Trachtenberg Mathematics [Blake, 12/08/1996]
  I've been looking for a book I had a long time ago on the Trachtenberg System of mathematics.

• Proof of Fermat's Last Theorem [Saleh, 12/10/1996]
  Can you tell me how Fermat's Last Theorem was proved?

• Trisecting an Angle [Chadwell, 12/16/1996]
  An explanation of how to trisect a 90 degree angle, plus some constructions.

• Math on Africa [Napier, 01/03/1997]
  We're doing an interdisciplinary unit on Africa. My part is to do something about math...

• Babylonian Numbers [Bragg, 01/10/1997]
  I know ancient Babylonian math is based on 60 but I need to find symbols used and names of the numbers.

• Omar Khayyam [Obiwan, 01/19/1997]
  I need three events about Omar Khayyam, a 1st century mathematican, for a high school report.

• Fibonacci [McKenzie, 01/31/1997]
  Where can I learn more about Leonard of Pisa?

• Garfield's Pythagorean Theorem Proof [Ferris, 02/27/1997]
  Which President of the United States wrote a proof of the Pythagorean Theorem? On what did he base his proof?

• Stokes-Greens-Gauss Theorems [Mullen, 03/25/1997]
  Are the Stokes-Greens-Gauss) theorems related? What is their significance?

• Theta [Allen, 04/14/1997]
  What is Theta? Does it have a constant value?

• History of the Radical Sign [Younger, 04/17/1997]
  Who invented the radical sign?

• Lenore Blum [Borsenik, 04/21/1997]
  Where can I find information on Lenore Blum?

• What was Fermat's Last Theorem? [Gardner, 07/23/1997]
  I wonder if you might take the time to explain Fermat's Last Theorem. I am an undergraduate in mathematics, so an easy answer would be perfect.

• Where did Fahrenheit and Celsius Come From? [Hokanson, 07/26/1997]
  How did scientists figure out the relation between two numbers that mean the same thing, e.g. 0 deg C and 32 deg F?

• Moritz Pasch [Srefanek, 09/20/1997]
  I need all possible information on Moritz Pasch.

• Imaginary Numbers [Darden, 10/11/1997]
  Who invented the imaginary number?

• Mathematics in Colonial America [Hartwell, 11/10/1997]
  I am at a loss at how to incorporate pragmatic mathematic lessons into an early America lesson.

• Who was Hero (or Heron)? [Kilgore, 11/12/1997]
  I have been trying to find information on the Greek mathmatician Hero.

• DeMoivre's Theorem [Berman, 11/14/1997]
  What is the history behind DeMoivre's theorem - did he base it on the work of predecessors?

• Origin of Inductive Proofs [Nietzold, 12/03/1997]
  What is the origin of the method of "inductive proof"? Why was it developed and how was it used?

• The Math Behind Music: Pitches, Scales, Geometry [Angelica, 12/03/1997]
  Connections between music, physics, and math.

• Four Color Map Problem [Perera, 12/10/1997]
  Could you please give me the history of this topic?

• First Calculation of E [Vlassis, 12/18/1997]
  How did Euler first calculate the value of e?

• Math and Music: Harmonic Series [Panter, 01/09/1998]
  Could you supply me with information on how math relates to music?

• Impossible Constructions [Coconut, 01/14/1998]
  What are the three ancient impossible construction problems of Euclidean geometry?

• Fermat's Theorum [Li, 01/21/1998]
  Why was Fermat's Theorem such a mystery?

• Unsolvable and Unsolved Problems [Jitsu, 02/19/1998]
  What's the difference between problems like Squaring the Circle and Goldbach's Conjecture or the Collatz Problem?

• History and Applications of the Natural Logarithm [Fornwalt, 03/02/1998]
  I'm so surprised at how often the number e comes up. Where did it come from? Who first derived it? Why is it so common in the field of biology?

• Ramanujan and a Formula for 1/Pi [Xenakis, 04/06/1998]
  Who is the man who knew infinity?

• Impossibility of Constructing a Regular Nine-Sided Polygon [Su, 04/07/1998]
  Can you construct a regular 9 sided polygon with just a compass and straightedge?

• History of Calculating Pi [Paradis, 05/20/1998]
  How have the formulas for pi evolved throughout mathematical history?

• Trivia about Famous Mathematicians [Nur, 05/21/1998]
  Interesting facts you might not know about 18 famous mathematicians.

• History of Numerals and Symbols [Edgar, 06/22/1998]
  Why and when did the change from Roman to Hindo-Arabic numerals occur? What is the history of +, -, =, /, etc.?

• Why Is a Circle 360 Degrees? [Perkey, 07/01/1998]
  Why is a circle defined as 360 degrees?

• John Venn and Venn Diagrams [Potemra, 09/04/1998]
  Can you give me some information on John Venn and the origin of Venn diagrams?

• Naming the Isosceles Triangle [Harris, 09/23/1998]
  How did the isosceles triangle receive its name?

• The Origin of Conic Sections [Gray, 10/02/1998]
  What are the origins of conic sections?

• Bachet's Theorem [Deamer, 10/08/1998]
  My maths teacher said that a mathematician discovered that you can make any number by adding together a combination of no more than 4 square numbers.

• The Origin of Month Names [Waugh, 10/17/1998]
  If oct is the prefix for 8 and dec is the prefix for 10, why is October the 10th month and December the 12th month?

• Perpetual Calendar [Chris, 10/21/1998]
  How do you figure the perpetual calendar?

• Decimals and Roman Numerals [Collecutt, 10/22/1998]
  Is there any notation for fractions in Roman numerals?

• History of Writing Decimals and Number Lines [Kim, 10/28/1998]
  Why, on a number line, are the negative numbers are on the left? When you deal with decimals, why are the whole numbers are on the left?

• Numeral Systems and Representing Numbers [Widra, 10/30/1998]
  Can you tell me the different ways the number 8 is represented? For example, what about different numeral systems?

• Ludolph van Ceulen and Pi [Hammond, 11/02/1998]
  How did Ludolph van Ceulen estimate pi by inscribing and circumscribing a circle with squares?

• The Degree Symbol [Austin, 11/02/1998]
  Do you know what the degree symbol stands for? What is its history?

• Chinese Rod-Numeral System [Ruby, 11/09/1998]
  How exactly does the Chinese rod-numeral system work?

• Facts about e [Clarissa, 11/09/1998]
  Where does the number "e" come from and what uses does it have in the real world?

• Compounding Interest and e [Radway, 11/11/1998]
  How is the number e derived from compounding interest? Does it come from the series expansion of e?

• Amicable Numbers [Sparks, 11/12/1998]
  What are amicable numbers? Can you give me examples? What's their history?

• Origins of the Fahrenheit Scale [Valentine, 11/20/1998]
  Why did Fahrenheit choose 32 as the freezing point of water? Where did he get his scale?

• Natural Logarithms [Harvey, 11/23/1998]
  Why are logarithms to the base e called "natural"?

• Terms of the Cartesian Coordinates [Carpenter, 12/01/1998]
  Is there a third name of the Cartesian Coordinates?

• The History of Numbers and Numerals [Jacobs, 12/08/1998]
  Can you give me some information on the history of numbers? How were they developed and where are they used?

• The Importance of Geometry Constructions [Kel, 12/29/1998]
  Why are geometry constructions important? What do we learn from them? Where have they appeared in math history?

• Millennium and the Year 0 [Katie, 01/03/1999]
  I know that they new millennium really begins in 2001 because there was no year 0. Why did they skip that year in the numbering?

• History of Zero and Place Value [Tristan, 02/17/1999]
  Where were zero and place value invented or discovered?

• Subtracting Roman Numerals [Heather, 03/14/1999]
  What are the rules for the "subtraction components" in writing Roman numerals?

• Egyptian Fractions [Ben, 03/21/1999]
  Can you help me understand Egyptian fractions?

• Rhind Papyrus Problems [Byron, 03/23/1999]
  What the Rhind Papyrus equations?

• Babylonian Reciprocals (Base 60) [Bobek, 04/08/1999]
  What is the reciprocal of the fraction 451/15 ?

• Converting from Hindu-Arabic Numerals to Roman Numerals [Whittington, 05/18/1999]
  A conversion table, and recommendations for using bars over Roman numerals, with examples.

• Names of Polynomials [Rohan, 05/22/1999]
  Why is an equation having only two roots, one of which is raised to the second power, called a quadratic equation?

• Pi and the Bible [Gibson, 06/01/1999]
  Can you prove that the value of Pi cannot be rounded down to 3.0?

• Development of Einstein's Equation [Brown, 06/02/1999]
  What equations and principles did Einstein use to come up with the equation e = mc^2?

• Formula for Easter [John, 06/12/1999]
  Is there a formula for finding the month and the day on which Easter falls in a given year?

• Questions About Math [Nwasokwa, 07/31/1999]
  Why was the Cartesian plane invented? Were the more abstract branches of math developed just for fun? What is chaos theory? Why isn't Einstein's equation e = mc^3?

• Methods of Computing Trig Functions [Morgan, 09/07/99]
  What would I do to figure out the actual angle of C, without using a table or calculator, if I know that tan(C) = 4/3?

• Adding and Subtracting Roman Numerals [Brennan, 10/26/1999]
  How can I add and subtract Roman Numerals without converting them to regular numbers? What did the Romans do to solve this kind of problem?

• Origin of the Terms Sine, Cosine, Tangent, etc. [Natalie, 10/27/1999]
  Can you tell me the origin of the terms hypotenuse, sine, cosine, and tangent? Can you tell me how the trigonometric formulas for sine, cosine, and tangent came about?

• The Second Millennium [Hesketh, 11/29/1999]
  Does the second millennium begin with the year 2000 or the year 2001? How does this relate to the math of counting numbers and subtraction?

• Who Invented Binary? [Jenny, 05/07/2000]
  Who invented the binary system of numbers and when was it developed?

• The New Math [Williams, 07/05/2000]
  What is the "New Math?"

• American vs. European Billion [Walter, 07/30/2000]
  Why are there differences between the American and the European systems for naming large numbers?

• Hebrew Mathematics [Lursen, 09/21/2000]
  I need to write a one-page article on the Hebrew mathematics system.

• Math in Computer History [Sarah, 11/04/2000]
  I'm doing a major project on the history of computers, focusing on the mathematical issues and ideas. Can you list some math topics and the names of some key mathematicians who were involved?

• History of the Order of Operations [Huffine, 11/22/2000]
  Can you give me some facts and conjectures about when, where, and why the order of operations was established?

• Japanese Mathematics [Resendez, 02/15/2001]
  Can you give me some information on Japanese mathematics, both past and present, and the names of some famous Japanese mathematicians?

• History of Imaginary Numbers [Raley, 03/09/2001]
  Who invented imaginary numbers?

• Converting Julian Date to Gregorian [Max, 03/20/2001]
  Assume that the base date is 01/01/0001 and that a Gregorian date is expressed as DD/MM/YYYY...

• Calculating the Date of Easter [James, 04/04/2001]
  How is the date Easter falls on calculated?

• Base of Roman Numerals [vanCuylenberg, 04/07/2001]
  What is the base of the Roman numeral system, base 10 or base 5?

• Good Friday on the 13th [Melanson, 04/10/2001]
  How many times has Good Friday fallen on the 13th?

• Number Word Etymologies [Stephanie, 05/03/2001]
  Who made up the names for numbers?

• Deriving Pi [Leslie, 05/10/2001]
  I know that Pi is equivalent to 3.14, but what formulas are used to come up with 3.14?

• Incommensurable Numbers [Fries, 07/25/2001]
  What is an incommensurable number?

• Polynomials of the Fifth Degree and Above [Peter, 07/28/2001]
  I know how to find the root of a polynomial of the form: ax^2+bx+c=0. But what about a polynomial of the third degree?

• Gallons and Cubic Inches [Darryl, 09/04/2001]
  I know that 1 gallon is 231 cubic inches, based on the old English "wine gallon" unit. Why was the number 231 used?

• How Long is a Meter? a Second? [Dawn, 09/06/2001]
  How is the length of a meter currently determined?

• Short History of Geometry [Jason, 09/15/2001]
  Were there any people who helped to develop geometry besides Euclid?

• Etymologies of Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry [Nikki, 10/22/2001]
  What are the origins and roots of the words geometry, algebra, and trigonometry?

• African Mathematics [Nadia, 10/24/2001]
  Some references for studying the history of mathematics on the African continent.

• Roman Numerals: Division [Chalina, 11/05/2001]
  I have found information on how to add and multiply Roman numerals, but have not found any information on how to divide or subtract.

• Sine of 36 Degrees [Steven, 11/18/2001]
  Ptolemy calculated the sine of 36 degrees geometrically using the construction of a regular pentagon. How did he do it?

• Negative Number History [Jam, 11/25/2001]
  What happened in the 16th century that caused people to need to use negative numbers, and what was their image of a negative number before that?

• History of Properties [Noah, 12/11/2001]
  Who invented the properties? For example, the distributive property and the associative property.

• Sum of Two Cubes [Gemm, 01/12/2002]
  Find the smallest number that can be expressed as the sum of two cube numbers in two different ways.

• Collapsible Compass [Shane, 01/23/2002]
  How did the early Greek mathematicians reproduce lengths with a collapsible compass?

• Do Pyramids Really Exist? [Joeli, 02/27/2002]
  If the base of an isosceles triangle is 4, and the height is 5, then the sides are equal to the square root of 21. How can this triangle exist (except in theory) if you can never measure or draw the square root of 21?

• History of the y-intercept [Chris, 03/18/2002]
  Why does the variable 'b' represent the y-intercept?