History of mathematic

The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing

The word "mathematics" comes from the Greek μάθημα (máthema) which means "science, knowledge, or learning"; μαθηματικός (mathematikós) means "fond of learning". Today, the term refers to a specific body of knowledge -- the deductive study of quantity, structure, space and change.

While almost all cultures use basic mathematics (counting and measuring), new mathematical developments have been reported in relatively few cultures and ages. Before the modern age and the worldwide spread of knowledge, written examples of new mathematical developments come to light only in a few locales. The most ancient mathematical texts available are from ancient Egypt in the Middle Kingdom period circa 1300-1200 BC (Berlin 6619), Mesopotamia circa 1800 BC (Plimpton 322), and ancient India circa 800-500 BC (Sulba Sutras). All of these texts concern the so-called Pythagorean theorem, which seems to be the most ancient and widespread mathematical developments after basic arithmetic and geometry. The first true evidence of mathematical activity in China can be found in numeration symbols on oracle bones, dated to about 1300 BC [1] [2], while the Han Dynasty in ancient China contributed the Sea Island Manual and The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Ancient Greece and the Hellenistic cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia and the city of Syracuse increased mathematical knowledge. Jaina mathematicians contributed from the 4th century BC to the 2nd century AD, while Hindu mathematicians from the 5th century and Islamic mathematicians from the 9th century made major contributions to mathematics.

One striking feature about the history of ancient and medieval mathematics is that bursts of mathematical development tended to be followed by centuries of stagnation. Beginning in Renaissance Italy in the 16th century, new mathematical developments, interacting with new scientific discoveries, were made at an ever increasing pace, and this continues to the present day.