A right triangle. This is the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem supposedly written by Pythagoras about 500 BC: The Pythagorean Theorem says that in a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the two right-angle [...]
An eclipse of the moon. You can see the curved shadow of the Earth. Logic tells you the earth is round. Making predictions Once people have seen that something happens [...]
Chinese star chart possibly dating from the 600s AD, during the T'ang Dynasty Science means "knowing" in Latin. It is the process of learning things about the world. People have always wanted to learn [...]
Proof for the area of a circle: Divide a circle up into sections like an orange Euclid's proof We know it's true that A=πr-squared is the area of a circle, but how can we prove [...]
Jainism: A Jain statue, possibly Mahavira, from about 1200 AD When did Jains get started? Nobody knows when people first began to follow Jain ideas. Some Jain traditions take their [...]
Near where Pythagoras lived: Doric temple at Paestum, Italy Who was Pythagoras? Pythagoras lived in the 500s BC. He was one of the first Greek mathematical thinkers that we know about, after Thales. Who [...]
Greek mathematics: An Egyptian papyrus from about 100 AD which is a piece of one of Euclid's books Greek math: geometry not algebra Because people in ancient Greece had only very clumsy [...]
An Egyptian papyrus from about 100 AD which is a piece of one of Euclid's books Euclid's life and background Nobody knows much about Euclid's life anymore - it is [...]
Diagram for proving the Pythagorean Theorem You can prove the Pythagorean Theorem for yourself, using the proof described on the Pythagorean Theorem page. Just get a square piece of paper, and [...]
Archimedes was from Syracuse, Sicily. Here you see it with Mount Etna in the background When did Archimedes live? Archimedes was born about 287 BC, so he was a little younger [...]
