It is a very naive question that – When did mathematics begin? The question should be like that – “when human being recognized these types of study like study of quality, structure/shape’s characteristic, space and any types of changes as Mathematics.
The mathematician Paul Erdos called mathematics – “the science that draws necessary conclusions”. Though Paul Erdos assigned mathematics as science but other mathematicians totally disagree with him. They called it the language of science. Italian astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei is attributed with the quote, “Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe.”
Some other mathematicians had pointed it as the part of advanced logic. They argue with that Math is derived from axioms using logic in general. They also argue that most of mathematics centers around the idea that based on a set of assumptions. If you checked for it, you would find that every textbook or paper has some set of assumptions as its starting point. Sometimes these assumptions are stated explicitly, but often they must be inferred from other information.
So what is mathematics? Is it science or is it language or it is just a study of logic? We claim that Mathematics is a subject of logic which we use to understand every field of our life, such as medicine, engineering, finance, natural science, economics, etc.
The origins of mathematics are not well documented, but it is believed that ancient civilizations such as the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Babylonians developed mathematical systems as early as 4000 BC to solve practical problems such as measuring land, trade, and taxes. The development of mathematics continued in ancient Greece, where mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes made significant contributions to the field.
In ancient Greece, mathematics reached new heights of abstraction and theoretical understanding. Mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Euclid, and Archimedes made seminal contributions to the field, developing mathematical theories and methods that are still studied and applied today. For example, Pythagoras is credited with discovering the Pythagorean Theorem, which relates the sides of a right-angled triangle, while Euclid wrote the influential work “Elements,” which codified much of Greek mathematical knowledge.
These early developments in mathematics laid the foundation for later advances in the field, and helped establish mathematics as a discipline in its own right. Today, mathematics continues to be a vital and ever-evolving field, with new theories and methods being developed all the time to tackle new and challenging problems.
The ancient Egyptians used geometry for surveying, calculating the area of land, and building pyramids. The Babylonians developed a system of mathematics based on a sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system and used it for astronomical calculations. Greek mathematics, particularly the work of Euclid and Pythagoras, laid the foundations for modern mathematics. Ancient Chinese mathematics made significant contributions to the field, including the development of the first known algorithm, the “Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.” The Mayans developed a sophisticated system of mathematics and used it for astronomical calculations and calendar-making. Indian mathematics made important contributions to the field, including the development of the decimal system and the concept of zero as a number.
There are a few Muslim mathematicians whose contribution in mathematics are totally contemporary in this modern world also like Al-Khwarizmi-A Persian mathematician, astronomer, and geographer, who is considered the “father of algebra.” is credited with popularizing the concept of algorithms. Al-Khwarizmi’s most famous work, “Al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr wa’l-muqabala” (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing), introduced the fundamental principles of algebra and the systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations using methods that are now known as “algorithms”. The term “algorithm” is derived from the Latinization of his name, Algoritmi, which was used to refer to mathematical methods for solving problems. In this sense, Al-Khwarizmi’s work can be seen as laying the foundations for the development of algorithms as a computational tool for solving mathematical problems. In addition to his contributions to algebra and the concept of algorithms, Al-Khwarizmi also made important contributions to the fields of astronomy and geography. Omar Khayyam-A Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet, who made important contributions to algebra and geometry. Al-Biruni – A Persian polymath and scholar, who made significant contributions to mathematics, astronomy, and geography. Al-Farisi -A Persian mathematician and astronomer, who made important contributions to optics and the understanding of rainbow formation. Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham – An Arab polymath, who made important contributions to the fields of physics, mathematics, and optics. He is considered the “father of modern optics.” Abu al-Wafa – A Persian mathematician and astronomer, who made significant contributions to trigonometry and the development of the geometric solution of cubic equations. Al-Qalasadi – An Arab mathematician and astronomer, who made important contributions to algebra and the development of mathematical notation.