“Like other fields, a native African mathematics system continued and developed in its own unusual ways after the historical disappearance of Egypt. One such example is among the Yoruba of Nigeria whose number system was studied by Claudia Zaslavsky. The Yoruba possess a very peculiar, but to them entirely natural, system of reckoning numbers. Basically, in order to express any number above ten, the Yoruba utilize addition, subtraction, and multiplication all at the same time and instantaneously. To wit: “45= (20 x 3) – 10 – 5; thus one would say ‘45’ as ‘five from ten from three twenties.’” “525 = (200 x 3) – (20 x 4) + 5; ‘525’ is said ‘four twenties from three hundreds to five.’” “This seemingly cumbersome system is handled even by Yoruba children with ease, and it has been stated that one must be a mathematician of a kind to even learn the system.” Charles S. Finch III, M.D. “Africa and the Birth of Science and Technology: A Brief Overview” Page 24
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 10:23:49 +0000
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