|
|
Re: Ariadne's thread
Posted:
Dec 16, 2011 3:02 AM
|
|
The arithmetical operations in the Rhind Mathematical
Papyrus are crystal clear. They form the apparent level.
They are what a beginner had to learn. If he could perform
them in his sleep (as we say in Switzerland) he was told
about the higher levels of a problem. Here is another
'silly' interpretation of mine, RMP 32 on the advanced
level, offering another piece of numerical wit, and one
more theorem:
RMP 32 - a magic parallelepiped
Ahmes divides 2 by 1 '3 '4 and obtains 1 '6 '12 '114 '228.
Imagine a right parallelepiped of these measurements:
height 2 units
length 1 '3 '4 units
width 1 '6 '12 '114 '228 units
How long is the cubic diagonal?
Simply
1 '3 '4 units plus 1 '6 '12 '114 '228 units
or
1 1 plus '3 '6 plus '4 '12 plus '114 '228 units
or
2 '2 '3 '76 units
Divide 2 by any number A and you obtain B (2:A = B). Use
these numbers as measurements for a right parallelepiped.
It will be a 'magic parallelepiped' with the following
properties:
height 2 units
width or length A units
length or width B units
area base or top AB = 2 square units
volume 2AB = 4 cubic units
cubic diagonal A plus B units
|
|
