History of Mathematics in the Islamic Era: The Instrumental Role of "Poetry" in the Teaching of Indian Arithmetic

Document Type : Expository article (original)

Author

• Fatemeh Saadatmand

Research Institute of History of Science, University of Tehran, IRAN

10.22067/tmsj.2023.43620

Abstract

In the history of mathematics during the Islamic period, poetry was used as an educational tool and has been applied for the purpose of arithmetic teaching. The special features of rhyming couplets in easier learning and faster recall of arithmetic rules were the main reason for the success of this educational method, as it was used in textbooks and pedagogical materials for centuries, and it was effective until recent centuries. This paper aims to remind the importance of one of the common methods of teaching mathematics and science in the past, which is to use the capacity of poetry and literature for introducing Indian arithmetic, by introducing two manuscripts on rhythmic arithmetic. Furthermore, it will explain the general principles of Indian arithmetic and examine a method of multiplication and division which is known as  ”Lattice” belonging to the seventh century AH.

Keywords

• history of mathematics
• poetry
• Indian arithmetic
• pedagogy
• practical arithmetic

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