IT2221 Introduction to Computing

What numerical system did the civilization use for their mathematics?

Which of the following is a key characteristic of the Pythagorean society?

What is Thales’ theorem in Euclidean geometry about?

What was the primary function of counting boards in the described civilization?

Which mathematicians are credited with remarkable contributions to early Greek mathematics?

Which practical problems were addressed by Egyptian mathematics?

What base number system did the Egyptians use?

What does the Rhind Papyrus contain?

Which civilization is known to have thrived in Mesopotamia?

What was a significant contribution of early civilizations to computing?

What were the distinct symbols in the Egyptian number system used to represent?

How did computing influence the standard of living in society?

What was the naive view of calculation that needed to be overcome?

Introduction to Computing

Technological advancements, including computers, mobile devices, and the Internet, have significantly impacted society and improved living standards.
Computing involves using computers for managing, processing, and communicating essential information in modern industrial technology.

Early Civilizations

Contributions from early civilizations form the foundation of contemporary computing.
Practical problems addressed by Egyptian mathematics included measuring time, floods, calculating land areas, bookkeeping, and tax calculations.

Egyptians

Utilized a base 10 numerical system comprising distinct symbols for units ranging from one to one hundred thousand.
The Rhind Papyrus served as a vital writing surface for documenting arithmetic and geometric problems, facilitating participation in projects like the Pharaoh’s building program.

Babylonians

Thrived in Mesopotamia (Iraq) approximately from 2000 BC to 500 BC.
Mathematical texts on clay cuneiform tablets included tables for arithmetic operations, cubes, and square roots.
Employed a numerical system with only two symbols (1 and 10), combining them to form other numbers.
Counting boards, utilized for aiding calculations, resembled an abacus and had grooves for placing beads.

Greeks

Made significant contributions to mathematics around 500-600 BC, particularly in geometry through figures like Pythagoras and Thales.
Pythagoras, influenced by Egyptian mathematics, established a secret society and is credited with foundational concepts, including the Pythagorean theorem.
Thales contributed to Euclidean geometry, with his theorem relating to points on a circle defined by a diameter.

Explore the history of computing in ancient Egypt, focusing on their methods of measuring time, managing floods, and bookkeeping. This quiz covers significant innovations and practical problems they solved, highlighting the technological advancements of the era.