For each assignment, do the starred exercise and one other exercise of your choice. The answer to the required exercise should be in WP, but calculations in other exercises can be by hand.
Assignment I
1. In the Rhind papyrus, the concept of π is described by:
Take a field of diameter 9; take 1/9 th of the diameter. Square the remainder to find the area.
What value does this give for π ?
2. Use the assumed Babylonian square root algorithm of the notes to show that the square root of 3 is approximately 1;45 by beginning with the value 2. Find a three-sexagesimal-place approximation to the reciprocal of 1;45 and use it to calculate a three-sexagesimal-place approximation to the square root of 3.
3. *Explain in several paragraphs the fundamental differences in the mathematics of the Egyptians and the Babylonians and the possible reasons for the differences.
