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Using Problems from the History of Mathematics

Why should we use historical problems in today's classroom? This article answers that question and serves as an introduction to the problems on this website.

Enrichment: The Use of Original Sources

A report on an Australian teacher's use of material from the Rhind Papyrus.

John Napier: His Life, His Logs, and His Bones

A brief introduction to the life of John Napier, along with an animation of calculations using Napier's bones.

Maya Cycles of Time

History of Maya calendars, including the modified base 20 number system used in them.

Leonardo of Pisa: Bunny Rabbits to Bull Markets

The Fibonacci numbers and applications to areas such as plant growth and stock market predictions.

Frans van Schooten's Exercitationes mathematicae

This is page 167 from the Exercitationes mathematicae (1657) of Frans van Schooten (1615-1660). This book contained a collection of mathematical construction problems, among much else. It was one of the books read by Isaac Newton while he was a student at Cambridge University and helped to introduce him to modern mathematics. On this page we see a construction enabling one to find the distance across a river.

The Story of Mathematics

A wonderful survey of the history of mathematics, emphasizing its relationship with the ambient culture.

Dealing in Sheep

A man bought a number of sheep for $225; 10 of them having died, he sold 4/5 of the remainder for the same cost and received $150 for them. How many did he buy?

Mathematics Elsewhere

A compilation of ethnomathematical ideas from around the world.

Traveling on a Train

Two travelers, starting at the same time from the same point, travel in opposite directions round a circular railway.