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Egyptian 2/D Table (D Prime Number): An Entirely New Analysis Consistent with the Idea of a Progressive Teamwork

Received: Oct. 08, 2016    Accepted: Feb. 17, 2017    Published: Apr. 01, 2017
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Abstract

For h=3 or 4, Egyptian decompositions into h unit fractions, like 2/D = 1 /D1 +... +1 /Dh, were given by using (h-1) divisors (di) of D1. This ancient modus operandi, well recognized today, provides Di=DD1/di for i greater than 1. Decompositions selected (depending on di) have generally been studied by modern researchers through the intrinsic features of di itself. An unconventional method is presented here without considering the di properties but just the differences dh-1- dh. In contrast to widespread ideas about the last denominator like ‘Dh smaller than 1000’, it is more appropriate to adopt a global boundary of the form ‘Dh smaller or equal to 10D’, where 10 comes from the Egyptian decimal system. Singular case 2/53 (with 15 instead of 10) is explained. The number of preliminary alternatives before the final decisions is found to be so low (71) for h=3 or 4 that a detailed overview was possible in the past. A simple additive method of trials, independent of any context, can be carried out, namely 2n+1= d2 +... + dh. Clearly the decisions fit with a minimal value of the differences dh-1- dh, independently of any di values.

DOI 10.11648/j.history.20170502.11
Published in History Research ( Volume 5, Issue 2, March 2017 )
Page(s) 17-29
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Rhind Papyrus, 2/n Table, Egyptian Fractions

References
[1] T. E. PEET: The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, British Museum 10057 and 10058, London: The University Press of Liverpool limited and Hodder - Stoughton limited (1923).
[2] A. B. CHACE; l. BULL; H. P. MANNING; and R. C. ARCHIBALD: The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, Mathematical Association of America, Vol.1 (1927), Vol. 2 (1929), Oberlin, Ohio.
[3] G. ROBINS and C. SHUTE: The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus: An Ancient Egyptian Text, London: British Museum Publications Limited, (1987). [A recent overview].
[4] R. J. GILLINGS: Mathematics in the Time of Pharaohs, MIT Press (1972), reprinted by Dover Publications (1982).
[5] M. BRUCKHEIMER and Y. SALOMON: Some comments on R. J Gillings’s analysis of the 2/n table in the Rhind Papyrus, Historia Mathematica, Vol. 4, pp. 445-452 (1977).
[6] E. R. ACHARYA: "Mathematics Hundred Years Before and Now", History Research, Vol. 3, No 3, pp. 41-47, (2015).
[7] K. R. W. ZAHRT: Thoughts on Ancient Egyptian Mathematics Vol. 3, pp. 90-93 (2000), [available as pdf on the Denver site https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/iusburj/.../19842]
[8] G. LEFEBVRE: In: Grammaire de L’Egyptien classique, Le Caire, Imprimerie de l’IFAO, 1954.
[9] A. IMHAUSEN and J. RITTER: Mathematical fragments [see fragment UC32159]. (2004). In: The UCL Lahun Papyri, Vol. 2, pp. 71-96. Archeopress, Oxford, Eds M. COLLIER, S. QUIRKE.
[10] A. ABDULAZIZ: On the Egyptian method of decomposing 2/n into unit fractions, Historia Mathematica, Vol. 35, pp. 1-18 (2008).
[11] M. GARDNER: Egyptian fractions: Unit Fractions, Hekats and Wages - an Update (2013), available on the site of academia. edu. [Herein can be found an historic of various researches about the subject].
[12] L. BREHAMET: Remarks on the Egyptian 2/D table in favor of a global approach (D composite number), arXiv:1404.0341 [math. HO] (2014).
[13] L. FIBONACCI: Liber abaci (1202).
[14] E. M. BRUINS: The part in ancient Egyptian mathematics, Centaurus, Vol. 19, pp. 241-251 (1975).
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    Lionel Bréhamet. (2017). Egyptian 2/D Table (D Prime Number): An Entirely New Analysis Consistent with the Idea of a Progressive Teamwork. History Research, 5(2), 17-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20170502.11

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    Lionel Bréhamet. Egyptian 2/D Table (D Prime Number): An Entirely New Analysis Consistent with the Idea of a Progressive Teamwork. Hist. Res. 2017, 5(2), 17-29. doi: 10.11648/j.history.20170502.11

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    Lionel Bréhamet. Egyptian 2/D Table (D Prime Number): An Entirely New Analysis Consistent with the Idea of a Progressive Teamwork. Hist Res. 2017;5(2):17-29. doi: 10.11648/j.history.20170502.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.history.20170502.11,
      author = {Lionel Bréhamet},
      title = {Egyptian 2/D Table (D Prime Number): An Entirely New Analysis Consistent with the Idea of a Progressive Teamwork},
      journal = {History Research},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {17-29},
      doi = {10.11648/j.history.20170502.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.history.20170502.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.history.20170502.11},
      abstract = {For h=3 or 4, Egyptian decompositions into h unit fractions, like 2/D = 1 /D1 +... +1 /Dh, were given by using (h-1) divisors (di) of D1. This ancient modus operandi, well recognized today, provides Di=DD1/di for i greater than 1. Decompositions selected (depending on di) have generally been studied by modern researchers through the intrinsic features of di itself. An unconventional method is presented here without considering the di properties but just the differences dh-1- dh. In contrast to widespread ideas about the last denominator like ‘Dh smaller than 1000’, it is more appropriate to adopt a global boundary of the form ‘Dh smaller or equal to 10D’, where 10 comes from the Egyptian decimal system. Singular case 2/53 (with 15 instead of 10) is explained. The number of preliminary alternatives before the final decisions is found to be so low (71) for h=3 or 4 that a detailed overview was possible in the past. A simple additive method of trials, independent of any context, can be carried out, namely 2n+1= d2 +... + dh. Clearly the decisions fit with a minimal value of the differences dh-1- dh, independently of any di values.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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    AB  - For h=3 or 4, Egyptian decompositions into h unit fractions, like 2/D = 1 /D1 +... +1 /Dh, were given by using (h-1) divisors (di) of D1. This ancient modus operandi, well recognized today, provides Di=DD1/di for i greater than 1. Decompositions selected (depending on di) have generally been studied by modern researchers through the intrinsic features of di itself. An unconventional method is presented here without considering the di properties but just the differences dh-1- dh. In contrast to widespread ideas about the last denominator like ‘Dh smaller than 1000’, it is more appropriate to adopt a global boundary of the form ‘Dh smaller or equal to 10D’, where 10 comes from the Egyptian decimal system. Singular case 2/53 (with 15 instead of 10) is explained. The number of preliminary alternatives before the final decisions is found to be so low (71) for h=3 or 4 that a detailed overview was possible in the past. A simple additive method of trials, independent of any context, can be carried out, namely 2n+1= d2 +... + dh. Clearly the decisions fit with a minimal value of the differences dh-1- dh, independently of any di values.
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  • Independent Scholar, Bordeaux, France

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