Babylonian Civilization

Mathematics
By: Miguel Agaron, Paul Evangelio, Enzo Gotera & Teejo Ostrea
Geographical Location in
the early times and the
current time.
Early times
- Babylon
- Port town
- Located along the
Euphrates River.
- It became one of
the largest and
most powerful
cities of the
ancient world
when Hammurabi Babylon
at the time of
became king Hammurabi
Geographical Location in the early times and the current time.

Current time

- located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of Baghdad

in modern-day Iraq.
History of the Civilization
- The city of Babylon was a city-state in Mesopotamia.
- Babylon grew into one of the largest cities of the ancient world ruled by
Hammurabi
How they use Math
- Mesopotamians used to dig tunnels to transport goods.
- Babylonians were ordered to calculate how long it would take to complete the
canal.
 KING

HAMMURABI

- The city began its rise to power when King Hammurabi took the throne.

- He had bigger ambitions and wanted to rule more than just the city of Babylon
Political Background

- Transforming Babylonia into a major military force.

- Became the political and religious capital of the entire empire.

- The empire thrived on an economy of trade with the city states.

 3. Form of Writing
CUNEIFORM
- A form of writing which

involves using a

wedge-shaped stylus to

make impressions on a

clay surface, as well as on

stone, metal, and wax.

- Reed Stylus
- ALPHABET
Numeral System
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE BABYLONIAN
NUMBERS:
- For numbers 2 to 9, there would be a repetitions of the
symbol one depending on the number being represented. For
example the number 2 would be presented two number 1
symbols.
- However once you arrive at 10, there were too many symbols, so the
Babylonians turned the reed stylus on its side to make a different symbol.

- Numbers 11 to 20 were represented by the symbol 10 and the

corresponding unit. For example 11 was represented by symbol 10 and
one.
- Something unusual can be seen as soon as 60 appears. It is
apparent that both it and 1 have the exact same symbol. So
when 61 appears, its symbols are sixty and one, which
make it 61 look like 2, and so on.

1= 60=

2= 61=
- To distinguish 1 from 60, all you have to do is look at the
placement of the symbol.

If the symbol is in If the symbol is in the

the middle then it is top left then it is
number 1. number 60.

1= 60=
 (When writing these numbers in
babylonian, no difference could be
Babylonian Zero spotted with 3660 and 3601.)

-The Babylonian Zero

was only used in the
middle of numbers.

To differentiate numbers, the babylonian zero was invented in the 3rd century B.C.

×3600 or (60²) ×60 or (60¹) ×1 or (60º) Total

3600

3600+60 = 3660

3600+0+1 = 3601

http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/numbers/babylon/index.htm
4. Numeral System
Positional Numbers System

- The Babylonians applied a positional numbers system.

- In this system columns are utilized to arrange the numbers.

- A positional system would have columns that represent the powers of ten. So a
normal positional system would have the right hand column as its units, the
next column would have is tens, while the next is hundreds, and so on.
 Positional System notation
The numbers placed on the left most side, were larger. Similar to Decimal system.

×3600 or (60²) ×60 or (60¹) ×1 or (60º) Total

60+10+1 = 71

3600×2= 7200

(60×16)+(1×39)
= 999

http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/numbers/babylon/index.htm
- The Babylonians had the same system, but they used a

sexagesimal system instead of a base 10 system. A

Sexagesimal System is a system that utilizes the number 60 as

its base number.

- So the column beside the value is units, the second, multiples

of 60, the third, multiples of 3,600, and so on.
EXERCISE: Identify the number

×3600 or (60²) ×60 or (60¹) ×1 or (60º) Total

???

???

???
EXERCISE: Identify the number (answer key)

×3600 or (60²) ×60 or (60¹) ×1 or (60º) Total

(10x60) + (10x1) =
610

(11x3600) + (1x60)
= 39660

(60x3600) + (1x60)
+ (1x1) = 216061
Characteristics of Mathematics use/application:
practical/pragmatic, recreational, etc.

Practical Reasons: (examples)

- Measurements of land
- Taxation of Citizens
- Creation of dig tunnels
Sources:
- Allen, D. (2002). PDF. Retrieved from https://www.math.tamu.edu/~dallen/masters/egypt_babylon/babylon.pdf
- Babylonia. (2018, February 2). Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/babylonia
- BABYLONIAN NUMBERS. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/numbers/babylon/index.htm
- “Cooke, R. (2013). The history of mathematics: a brief course. Hoboken (N.J.): J. Wiley.
- Cooke, R. (2013). The history of mathematics: a brief course (2nd ed.). Hoboken (N.J.): J. Wiley.
- Edkins, J. (2006). Babylonian Numbers. Retrieved from http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/numbers/babylon/index.htm
- Jarus, O. (2017, September 8). Ancient Babylon: Center of Mesopotamian Civilization. Retrieved from
https://www.livescience.com/28701-ancient-babylon-center-of-mesopotamian-civilization.html

- The ruins of Babylon can be found in modern day Iraq. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.mapsofworld.com/answers/history/where-is-ancient-babylon-located-today/attachment/location-map-of-ancient-bab
ylon-in-iraq/

- SUMERIAN/BABYLONIAN MATHEMATICS. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.storyofmathematics.com/sumerian.html