Table of Contents

I. The Egyptians.- Chronological Summary.- The Egyptians as the “inventors” of geometry.- The Rhind papyrus.- The technique of calculation.- “Aha-calculations”.- Applied calculations.- The development of the computing technique.- Hypothesis of an advanced science.- The geometry of the Egyptians.- What could the Greeks learn from the Egyptians?.- II. Number systems, digits and the art of computing.- The sexagesimal system.- Sumerian technique of computation.- The Greek notation for numbers.- Sexagesimal fractions.- Hindu numerals.- The abacus of Gerbert.- III. Babylonian mathematics.- Chronological summary.- Babylonian algebra.- Babylonian geometry.- Babylonian theory of numbers.- Applied mathematics.- Summary.- Greek Mathematics.- IV. The age of Thales and Pythagoras.- V. The golden age.- VI. The century of Plato.- VII. The Alexandrian Era (330–200 B.C.).- VIII. The decay of Greek mathematics.