Page 5 - Professorial Lecture - Prof Kasanda

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICS TEACHING AND

LEARNING

The history of Mathematics is as old as the history of humankind. It was
there in “Ancient Egypt between the end of the fourth millennium BC…”
(Ritter, 1997, p. 629). In the days of the Pharaohs, mathematics was used
in apportioning land for cultivation, for building the pyramids, dividing
grain and other activities. Mathematics was used in the Chinese Qin
dynasty (Libbrecht, 1997) and other ancient civilizations such as
Mesopotamia and India (Ritter, 1997). Aaboe (1964, p. 2) says,
“…mathematics is so ancient a discipline that even the study of its history
became a recognized field of scholarly endeavor long before most of the
sciences.” In all cases Mathematics found its usefulness in the lives of the
ancient world just as in our modern lives. This mathematics knowledge
keeps being passed on from generation to generation, often with each
succeeding generation contributing to its growth. This aspect seems to
point to the creation of mathematics by society or individuals. During its
long history additions have been made through discoveries in
mathematics and/or revisions to the theories (Siegel, & Borasi, 1996).

History shows that at one point in history mathematics was studied by the
elite and their children. Women and those from poor working class were
not offered the opportunity to learn mathematics. Sophie Germain had to
use the pen name “M. LeBlanc”, a male name to have her work
acknowledged (Fauvel, & Gray, 1987). Gauss was greatly surprised at
discovering that he had been corresponding with Sophie German, a
woman, when he wrote “But how can I describe my astonishment and
admiration on seeing my esteemed correspondent M. LeBlanc
metamorphosed into this celebrated person…But when a woman, because
of her sex, our customs and prejudices…”(Fauvel, & Gray, 1987, p. 497).
Further the study of mathematics by women was deemed inappropriate
to the “fair sex” and detrimental to their health and reproductive system.

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