纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 017莱因德数学纸草书(1)

017 - Rhind Mathematical Papyrus 莱因德数学纸草书

Abstract摘要 :

Rhind Mathematical Papyrus (made around 3,500 years ago) found in Thebes, Egypt

埃及底比斯发现的莱因德数学纸草书（约3500年前制造）

MP3听力原文：

In seven houses there are seven cats.

七个房间，每个房间里有七只猫，

Each cat catches seven mice.

每只猫抓七只老鼠，

Each mouse would have eaten seven ears of corn and each ear of corn, if sown, would have produced seven gallons of grain.

每只老鼠要吃掉七根玉米，每根玉米若被播种，能收获七加仑粮食，

How many things are mentioned in total?

请问本题中提及的东西的总数量？

While you're counting, I'll tell you that this is just one of nearly a hundred similar problems, all equally complicated, all carefully written out, with the answers, and showing the workings in best schoolbook manner, that are recorded in the Rhind Mathematical Papyru.

在你埋头苦算的时候，我要告诉你的是莱因德纸草书上一共记载了几十道类似的问题，它们的难度相当，书写工整，备有答案，完全是一本优秀的教科书。

the most famous mathematical papyrus to have survived from Ancient Egypt, and the major source for our understanding of how the Egyptians thought about numbers.

这是古埃及流传下来的最著名的数学手卷，也是我们了解埃及人数字概念的主要途径。

Some of the maths is very very practical, other problems are more abstract.

一些数学问题非常具有实用性,其他则更抽象。

I think we see the beginnings of a realisation that mathematics is not about specific numbers, about specific problems;

我认为我们最开始看到的数学不是那些具体的数字,而是有关具体的问题,

that you can extract from it general procedures, general rules, that you can follow in lots of cases.

在很多情况下,你可以从中提取通用法则,一般规则,这些你都是可以依照的。

A history of the world.

世界历史，

In a hundred objects.

百件藏品，

Clay writing tablet approximately 5,000 years old discovered in southern Iraq

在伊拉克南部发现大约5000岁的早期写字板

The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus,around 3,500 years discovered in Thebes, Egypt.

 

发现于埃及古城底比斯的莱因德数学纸草书