The Math Club

Math Like an Egyptian: Exploring Egyptian Fractions


Listen Later

When you think about parts of a whole, you probably picture fractions that consist of a numerator and a denominator. But that's not how all cultures throughout history worked with fractional parts. In this episode, Pete and Noah visit ancient Egypt and discuss the completely different way their mathematicians showed parts of a whole. Plus, there's a puzzle about camels!

Rhind Mathematical Papyrus

Leave us a voice messageEmail usFollow us on Twitter

Questions Answered in the Episode: • What is an Egyptian fraction and how were they written in ancient Egypt? • How did the ancient Egyptians use unit fractions to solve practical problems?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Math ClubBy Pete and Noah

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

11 ratings


More shows like The Math Club

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,837 Listeners

SpaceTime with Stuart Gary by Stuart Gary

SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

321 Listeners

Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

Astronomy Cast

2,882 Listeners

The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

The Quanta Podcast

544 Listeners

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

4,167 Listeners

Why This Universe? by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman

Why This Universe?

384 Listeners