I hope you add this to the Math's text: the drama and humour of numbers<http://billkerr2.blogspot.com/2009/01/drama-and-humour-of-numbers.html>
By Bill Kerr The Story of 1<http://www.videosift.com/video/The-Story-Of-One-Terry-Jones-BBC-number-documentary-5904>(60 minutes) I just saw this excellent TV show about the history of numbers (ABC review<http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200901/programs/ZY8042A001D1012009T203000.htm>) and, for joy, it's available on the internet too :-) Some Australian aboriginal tribes did not have a number system, just one and many. Arithmetic evolved in cities which had more complexity which required calculations. The first writing was with numbers. 3000 BC: The Egyptians conceived of 1 million. Also they invented the cubit, a unit of measurement, required for the buildings they constructed Pythagoras invented odd and even numbers, things such as magic triangles (1, 2, 3, 4) and explored the relationship between music and the size of containers (the music of the spheres). But his dogmatic idealism about number led to tragedy. One of his disciples discovered irrational numbers and was drowned. The Romans murdered Archimedes and then imposed their crummy numerals onto the world. They were so useless for doing calculations that the abacus was used instead. Our decimal system and most notably the number zero wasn't thought of until 500 AD by someone in India. From there it was passed onto the Arabic Muslim world. Then the decimal system was brought to Europe by Fibonacci. There ensued a struggle between the Roman numerals and the decimals system which lasted for hundreds of years. Eventually the decimal system won out because of the need for capitalism to calculate compound interest accurately. Finally, Liebnitz invented the binary system but we had to wait another 200 years for the computer This video is very enlightening and funny being narrated by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame. The simulated battles between our modern sprightly numbers and clunky Roman numerals are fabulous. On Sat, Jan 3, 2009 at 8:48 AM, Randy Fisher <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Gladys, > > Yes, you're right. > > I think that it's a good idea for this stage in our development. > > In future, it might be more appropriate to have it linked from the main > content page....but to a certain degree, we are in the process of > 'educating' folks within, new, and visiting our community. > > - Randy > > > > On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 4:25 PM, Gladys Gahona <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> >> I think one way to quickly find the WikiEducator Glossary ( >> http://www.wikieducator.org/WikiEducator/Glossary ) is inserting a >> link in the navigation side bar, so it will be permanently reachable >> for everyone. >> HNY >> Gladys Gahona >> http://www.wikieducator.org/User:Chela5808 >> >> >> >> > > > -- > ________________ > Randy Fisher > Change/Transition Management; Performance, Collaboration & Engagement; > Sustainable Communities & Organizations > > + 1 604.684.2275 > [email protected] > > http://www.wikieducator.org - Member, WikiEducator Community Council > http://www.wikieducator.org/User:Randyfisher > > * Can You Do the Wiki-Wiki? http://www.wikieducator.org/Wiki_Wiki > > Skype: wikirandy > > > > -- -- Leigh Blackall +64(0)21736539 skype - leigh_blackall SL - Leroy Goalpost http://learnonline.wordpress.com http://www.wikieducator.org/User:Leighblackall --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WikiEducator" group. To visit wikieducator: http://www.wikieducator.org To visit the discussion forum: http://groups.google.com/group/wikieducator To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
