The abacus is an ancient calculator that is still being used today in some parts of the world. It is a simple device that has been used for thousands of years to perform arithmetic operations. Many well-known mathematicians have used the abacus in the past while they were still developing modern mathematical concepts. This article explores some of these famous mathematicians and their contributions to the development of mathematics.
Aryabhata
Aryabhata was an Indian mathematician who lived in the 5th century. He is credited with many contributions to the field of mathematics, including the invention of the decimal system and the concept of zero. He famously used an abacus to perform calculations in his work, particularly in his book “Aryabhatiya”.
Leonardo Fibonacci
Leonardo Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician who lived in the 12th century. He is credited with making the Hindu-Arabic numeral system commonly used today popular in Europe. Fibonacci was also known to use an abacus in his work, particularly in his famous book “Liber Abaci”. This book introduced many new mathematical ideas, including the famous Fibonacci sequence.
Zhang Yuzhe
Zhang Yuzhe was a Chinese mathematician who lived in the 16th century. He is considered one of the most famous mathematicians in China’s history. Zhang was known to use an abacus in his work, particularly in his study of astronomy. He was also the founder of the Nongshu or “Agricultural Book”, a groundbreaking agricultural treatise that incorporated many of his mathematical ideas.
Fabian Stedman
Fabian Stedman was an English mathematician who lived in the 17th century. He contributed to the development of modern mathematics, particularly in the field of geometry. Stedman is also famous for his work on bell ringing, and he is the author of the book “Tintinnalogia”, which details a method for ringing 4 bells through all possible permutations. Stedman was known to use an abacus in his work, particularly in his calculations related to bell ringing.
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was an American statesman and founding father who lived in the 18th century. He is known for his contributions to the development of the United States, particularly his role in the creation of the U.S. financial system. Hamilton was also a prolific writer and thinker, and he was known to use an abacus in his work, particularly in his calculations related to finance.
