| The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus |
|---|
Background
The papyrus was found in Thebes in the ruins of a small building near the Ramesseum. It is a copy made by the scribe Ahmose during the 15th Dynasty reign of the Hyksos Pharaoh, Apepi I. Ahmose states that his writings are similar to those of the time of Amenemhet III (1842 - 1797 b.c.).
The papyrus, written in hieratic the cursive form of hieroglyphics, is a single roll which was orginally about 5.4 metres long by 32 centimetres wide.
Contents
Note: The Ancient Egyptians used only unit fractions which are here
represented by a stroke line followed by the denominator e.g. a thirteenth=/13.
Two thirds was the only common exception to this rule and is here represented
by two stroke lines preceding the number 3=//3 .
Below you will find that:
1 and a half and a quarter is represented
by 1 /2 /4.
1 and two thirds and one third is repesented by 1 //3 /3.
| Problems | Content |
|---|---|
| - | (a) Calculations showing 2 divided by each of the odd numbers in turn from 3 to 100 |
| - | (b) A table showing the results of dividing each of the numbers from 1 to 9 by 10 |
| 1 - 6 | Show how some of (a) above were calculated: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 divided by 10 |
| 7 - 20 | Show the multiplication of various fractions by either 1 /2 /4 or 1 //3 /3 |
| 21 - 23 | Problems of completion i.e. fraction subtraction |
| 24 - 29 | Quantity problems e.g. a quantity is added to a seventh of that quantity and the result is 19. What is the quantity? Problems 28 and 29 are similar but more complex |
| 30 - 34 | Similar to 24 - 27 but involve more fractional parts of x |
| 35 - 38 | Hekat problems |
| 39 | Division of loaves |
| 40 | Division of loaves involving arithmetical progression |
| 41 - 43 | Volume of cylindrical granaries |
| 44 - 46 | Volume of rectangular granaries |
| 47 | Division of 100 hekat |
| 48 | Area of a circle and its circumscribing square |
| 49 | Area of a rectangle |
| 50 | Area of a circle |
| 51 | Area of a triangle |
| 52 | Area of a truncated triangle |
| 53 | Area of sections of a triangle |
| 54 - 55 | Division related to area |
| 56 - 60 | Pyramid problems |
| 61 - 87 | Miscellaneous problems |