Egyptian multiplication often avoided multiplication tables by repeatedly doubling a number and adding selected results. This resembles binary decomposition because a multiplier can be broken into a sum of powers of two. But the video overstates the comparison: ancient Egyptian numerals were decimal, division used reciprocal-style methods, and Egyptian mathematics included unit fractions and other non-integer calculations. Modern computers use positional binary notation, so the systems were not identical.
Video links Egyptian doubling method to binary arithmetic, not an identical system
Key facts
- The video argues that Egyptian multiplication resembles binary arithmetic, but the two mathematical systems were not identical.
- Egyptian multiplication commonly used repeated doubling and selected additions, avoiding multiplication tables.
- Multipliers could be decomposed into sums of powers of two, but powers of two were not used for all ancient Egyptian calculations.
- Egyptian division could use reciprocals and multiplication; it was not a general binary division method.
- Ancient Egyptian mathematics included unit fractions and non-integer calculations, contradicting the claim that the system worked only for whole numbers.
- Ancient Egyptian numerals were decimal, while modern computers use positional binary notation.
Sources
[PDF] Egyptian Multiplication - UCLA Math Circlecircles.math.ucla.edu
In the example above, these powers of 2 are 1, 2, 4,. 8, and 16. 2. In the second column, they would keep doubling the second number (in this case, 18).
Ancient Methods of Multiplication – The Egyptian Form of Multiplicationmathcurious.com
The term that we use with Egyptian Multiplication is called Doubling. You take one number and either multiply it by 2 or you add it to itself.
Ancient Egyptian Multiplication, Division, Root Extractionmathnstuff.com
The sum of the powers of two is required in ancient Egyptian multiplication by havling and doubling. ... The numbers 16, 8, and 1 are identified because 25 ...
Ancient Egyptian multiplication - Grokipediagrokipedia.com
This technique involves successively adding a number to itself to generate powers of two, such as starting from 1 and producing 2, 4, 8, and so on, without ...
Russian-Egyptian Multiplication, an ancient calculation techniquethekidshouldseethis.com
It decomposes one of the multiplicands (preferably the smaller) into a sum of powers of two and creates a table of doublings of the second ...
Rhind Mathematical Papyrusen.wikipedia.org
The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus is one of the best known examples of ancient Egyptian mathematics. Rhind Mathematical Papyrus. British Museum, London.
Egyptian Algebra - Mathematicians of the African Diasporamath.buffalo.edu
Rhind papyrus Problem 33. The sum of a certain quantity together with its two-third, its half, and its one-sventh becomes 37. What is the quantity?
(PDF) Rhind Mathematical Papyrusresearchgate.net
multiplication method, without one use of scholarly 'false position'. Ahmes further considered. x = (16 + 2/97) = (quotient + remainder). with ...
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