Babylonian Algebra

When comparing our algebra to the Babylonian algebra, there are some very noticeable differences. The very first thing that I noticed when looking at the Babylonian algebraic methods was their use of variables, and what they called their variables. Instead of using "X" to describe length, they would use "ush", instead of using "Y" to describe breadth, they would use "sag". Another thing that I noticed was their notiation when solving quadratic equations. I found this to be quite interesting especially because of the way we have all been taught to solve these types of equations. It's crazy to think that these people were able to solve quadratic expressions using a method that is not the one we have been taught in modern society. I think that generalization and abstraction do play a large role in mathematics, however, in order to excel in mathematics, it takes an individual with a certain amount of problem-solving ability rather than generalization and abstraction.


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