(December 10, 2021 at 2:42 pm)polymath257 Wrote:(December 10, 2021 at 12:45 pm)onlinebiker Wrote: Who invented fractions?
That actually has a rather long and complicated history.
The ancient Egyptians used a type of fraction, which we now call Egyptian fractions. In our system, an Egyptian fraction is one with 1 in the numerator: so 1/4 , 1/9, 1/23, etc, but NOT 2/23, 5/9, 7/15. They then expressed other fractions as sums of those. So, 2/5 = 1/3 + 1/15.
Decimal fractions, like .529 came much later. Obviously, the invention of the decimal system of numbers had to be created first. The first use of decimal fractions was in medieval Islamic areas, with al-Samawal usually given credit for these, although they may go back a bit further.
Decimals like we use them today, like 23/75, are later still, with the rules not completely worked out even in renaissance Europe.
Most people don't realize how recent many common mathematical concepts are. The idea of a 'number line' didn't arise until about 1000 AD.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrr
Wrong answer.
Henry the 1/8th
...
You expect serious?
