BABYLONIAN MATH.....

...do any of you intelligent folks know how to do it?

I get some of it but then I get stumped. DD has a lesson on it and I need to help her with it.

http://www.math.ubc.ca/~cass/courses/m446-03/pl322/pl322.html#read
Found this site and it helps some but.... then, when I get to this part, I am stumped.

"The conventional way to write floating point sexagesimal numbers is by using comma separators, so that 1,29 is 60+29 = 89 in decimal notation, and 1,1,1 is 3661.":?

Okay, I understand that 1,29 will =89 since the system has a base of 60. But I can't quite get how 1,1,1 will =3661. Being that 60x60=3600 I see that it seems they use the first 1 and seem to have it to the 2nd power to get the 3600. Then, it appears that the second 1 is simply added at the base value of 60 and the third 1 is added at a value of just 1.

But this does not seem to match up with the way the 1,29=89 problem was solved.


HELP?

 

Her first problem is presented this way:
Translate the Babylonian numeral into our Arabic numerals.
There are 4 Babylonian "digits" all written on one row with a space between each "digit" this being the first:



second Babylonian "digit"



third Babylonian "digit":


and, 4th Babylonian "digit":


The correct answer in arabic is: 11,915,405

But I do not understand how they got it?

 

Okay, assuming you saw the symbols on the website...lets pretend that this symbol < is the one which stands for TEN and this symbol / will be the one which stands for ONEs (which is 60)

Then here is the problem:

<<<<<///// ///////// <<<<< /////

correct answer is 11,915,405

 

Yes, I have worked with them but it's been a long time and math was never my best subject.

Okay, your explanation of that one makes sense to me. I see it now. Still not sure about the problems she has though. I just seem to be hitting a mental wall on this one.

 

Using the same substitute symbols again, here is the model she is given:

------<<<//----------- <<<//// --------//////// ---<<<<<
(32x60x60x60) + (34x60x60) + (8x60) + (50) = 7,034,930

So I get the 8X60 and the (50) but the first 2 "digits" still do not make sense to me?

 

It's the same thing, you just multiply by 60 again for each place you move to the left. Just the same as in base 10, we multiply by 10 again for each place we move to the left. You've already got it, now just relax & let it sink in! 8)

 

If the first digit is 32X60x60x60....
then why is the second digit not (34x60x60x60)

Oh, wait, like you said, I must remember that the "place of the digit determins it's power. So, the first "digit", being in the thousand's place would be to the third power, the second digit is in the hundreds place so it is to the 2nd power, and so on....okay, this is beginning to make better sense.

I think I am struggling because I have a hard time seeing the Babylonian groups of symbols as "digits". Let me go try to solve another one and see if I have it yet.

 

Ken and KDs,

I am certainly impressed. Mommysaidno...you have more patience than I will ever have. Our 4042 friends are just wonderful. If Ken and KDs are not on try PMing Clif. He is a whiz at this also.

IMPRESSED!

Grace

 

Are you kidding me?

I'm confused, and my head hurts just from looking at that!

 

Okay, I got it:

first digit (55x60x60x60) or 11,880,000
plus
second digit (9x60x60) or 32,400
plus
third digit (50x60) or 3000
plus
fourth digit (5)

:idea: add all 4 together and wallah...you get 11,915,405

Go me:mrgreen:

And this concludes today's lesson on Babylonian math students:jester:
...now...all I have to do is get DD to understand it too:?:lol:

THANKS KEN!!
You helped me to tune my brain into the right direction on this!

 

I am an accountant (corporate accountant) but got lost in that one. Maybe I just didn't want to read it, I don't know. But working on computers with accounting software and code would certainly make a brain think differently.

Grace

 

OMG! If I were male I would look like this right now:



You need to hang out with me. Macrame, working in the yard, reading, sewing and listening to music. Although I am always on the move.

Grace

P.S. How was the circus last weekend?

 

I do pretty well with the decimals and place values, etc. I swear, I just could not get past the Babylonian symbols to see the simplicity of it at first. Like you said, "The key is place = power. So for any numbering system the equation is: number x base ^ place*."

Thanks again for the help Ken and KDS. Glad to know my friends at 4042 are there for me. She starts highschool next year:?

Actually, I don't have many problems teaching her new stuff. Well, at least not so far. I think I have a mental block when it comes to math. I had to be out of class a whole lot when I was just beginning to learn algebra. I made it up and passed and all, but I think it gave me a complex. That and the witch of a geometry teacher I had the next year.

I always did fantastic in language/grammar, but felt intimidated by math. Funny thing is, I scored the EXACT same score on my SATs in both subjects. Ever since then, I try to tell myself my sometimes "fear" of math is all in my head. I can't afford to think I am not able to figure it out while homeschooling.

 

OMG!!!! She isn't even in High School yet????? And they are teaching her this stuff!!!!!!

I'M SCREWED!!! My oldest is only 3 and this was WAY above my head!!!!!!!

 

Thanks Grace. Actually, I love a good challange. Don't know if that makes me patient or stubborn, maybe both8)

DD is working on it now. I think she will get it.

 

Thank you for the insight. Actually saw the real you. My daughter is wired like you. She sees everything in numbers but she, like you, felt as though she was not reading enough and when she picks up a book she will finish it in record time, remembering everything.

Rubik's cubes are not my thing. Never have been able to figure those out. When stressed at work I have a medicine ball I play with. The more stressed the more rock and roll and dancing. I try to get my mind off of the numbers and go blank for a few minutes then come back to the numbers. It usually works. When that does not work I take a walk around the building or outside and usually I am right on target when I come back to my office.

Grace

 

:lol:

:iagree:

Reading is such an amazing tool if you think about it. Oh, and I like the cube too Ken. I love any puzzle type games. DH hates them.

 

Don't worry about it. My daughter was taught Kumon Math and French at a private school when she was two. When we moved here I could find no where that taught those subjects to kids that age so I taught those items at home but still sent her to main stream. She is in high school taking Honors French and struggling. I blame myself because I know how important language is, especially at a young age, and I was not consistent in her education.

It all washes out in the end. I have friends and so does my daughter who always want to talk about grades and all. I taught my daughter early on not to discuss them. Too much competition for these young kids and we don't need to add to it.

Mommysaidno has chosen an honorable path with hers and we all need to keep things in perspective.

Grace :lol:

 

:lol:

Calm down Shar:mrgreen: It will be okay. Actually, the only reason I had to understand it so well is because I do homeschool my kids. And really, I now see how simple it is thanks to my 4042 friends. Keep in mind though, I didn't have the option of reading it and going "what the heck" and just passing over it for a better thread. I HAD to understand it! I have many resources available to me when I need help8) I don't care who I get the help from as long as I can teach it to her in a way she will REALLY understand and retain.

I'm sure by the time your get to highschool, there will be even more resources out there to help you out if you need it.

 

Well Thank you very much for that Grace.

hmmmm...again with the words...honorable or just insane (homeschooling 4 kids at one time:lol