HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS

Mathematics holds the mirror upto civilisation. It is no exaggeration to say that the history of mathematics is the history of civilisation . mathematics can take pride in the fact that their science , more than any other's is an exact science ,and that hardly anything ever done in mathematics has proved to be useless . The geometry of the Greeks and the arithmetic of the Hindus are as useful and admirable as any research of today . Mathematics has been a progressive science .

VALUE OF MATHEMATICS

History of mathematics has not so far been given any place in it's curriculum , simply because no time can be made available for its study when the already heavy courses have to be covered . Moreover , there has not been any serious realisation of the benefit which can possibly be had from this study . But once introduced , it is sure to become a source of interest and pleasure to the learners . It's values can be explained as follows;

1. Mathematics will be presented as a dynamic and progressive subject , full of human interest .
2. It will be instructive and interesting ; it will not only remind us of what we have , but will also teach us how to increase our store of knowledge .
3. it warns the learner against hasty conclusions . 
4. Many mathematical topics can be better introduced in the class by discussing their history .
5. It saves the student from attaking an unsolved problem by the same method which has led other mathematicians to failure .
6. it is important also as a valuable contribution to the history of civilisation . Mathematical and physical researches are a reliable record of intellectual progress . It is one of the large windows through which the philosophic eye looks into past ages and traces the line of intellectual development . 
7. It reveals, that, at every stage , major or significant development of mathematics was conditioned by human needs .
8. Most of the teams , concepts and conventions can be properly understood only by reference to their historical background .

THE ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AND MATHEMATICS

Mathematics is a man-made science . Ancient men also felt their concern with this branch of knowledge . Through their conclusions were not very accurate , yet their efforts were quite serious and genuine . They were , of course, motivated in their attempts by their social needs . Even in the most ancient times they must have done their best on the computation front of their life . They had their limitations , no doubt . Most of them made astonishing and interesting mathematical discoveries . 

THE BABYLONIANS

The study of Babylonians mathematics begins with the notation of numbers . A vertical wedge stood for 1 , while the characters signified 10 and 100 respectively . In this connection the most surprisingly fact is that their notational system discloses the use not only of the above decimal system , but also of the sexagesimal one . There are two Babylonian tables which exhibit the use of the letter .One of them , probably written between 2300 and 1600 B.C., contains a table of square numbers up to 60 square. It was assumed that the early Babylonians reckoned the year at 360 days , that this led to the division of the circle into 360 degree and it's further division into six segments of 60 degrees each . It has also been found that Babylonians possessed the knowledge of multiplication and division tables , tables of squares and square root , of geometric progression , a Few computations , and the rules for finding the area's of squares , triangles , and right triangles . Most probably ,Plato got the knowledge of the number from the Pythagoreans , and the Pythagoreans from the Babylonians . They were the worshippers of heavenly bodies . They had some calculation about the new and full moon and the eclipses .

THE EGYPTIANS

The Egyptians built the pyramids at very early period .