Science

13175 readers

5 users here now

Subscribe to see new publications and popular science coverage of current research on your homepage

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

MinutePhrase@lemmy.ml

691

Pythagorean Theorem Found On Clay Tablet 1,000 Years Older Than Pythagoras (www.iflscience.com)

submitted 6 months ago by Zerush@lemmy.ml to c/science@lemmy.ml

85 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] billgamesh@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

There are records of why it was bent though. It was one of the first pyramids. The king wanted it very tall and steep. he ended up being burried in a pyramid with less slope. Do you have any archeological evidence of complex geometry being used?

Again, the pyramids are an impressive feat of craftsmanship and the organization of labor, but does that mean they employed the pythagorean theorem?

They may very well have known geometry, or at least developed during the course of their civilization but I don't think the pyramids represent sufficient evidence for them definitely knowing the pythagorean theorem

edit: also if you haven't heard the podcast, i recommend it. It's pretty cool