Being familiar with the multiplication table is the first step for every person in learning mathematics. This article is about its real author, history of creation and distribution.
Each of us has come across the multiplication table more than once, flipping through a school textbook on mathematics. Everyone knows its usual form: rows and columns are factors, and at their intersection is the value of the product of these numbers.
Who invented the multiplication table
The multiplication table is also called the Pythagorean table in many languages, after the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras of Samos (570-495 BC), who is traditionally credited with creating the table. However, it is interesting that many historians do not share this position: a number of historical facts refute this. So, the age of the first found table, which allows calculating the product of these numbers, is about 4000 years. The numbers in this table are not familiar to us, as they refer to the hexadecimal number system. The oldest known multiplication table for decimal numbers is also older than Pythagoras. It was found on the territory of ancient China, which scientists consider to be the birthplace of the multiplication table.
The theory that the authorship of the multiplication table belongs to Pythagoras originates from the work of his student, Nicomachus of Geras. For the first time, the award of this merit to Pythagoras is found precisely in his writings. It is unlikely that historians will ever be able to find an answer to the question about the real creator of the multiplication table, however, acquaintance with the biography of its possible author and the history of distribution will be useful to every reader.
Scientific achievements and works of Pythagoras
The life of Pythagoras is shrouded in many misconceptions and legends. It is known that he opened the school of Pythagoras, the purpose of which was to obtain new knowledge, to form the foundations of mathematical, physical, geographical and other sciences. The contribution of the Pythagoreans to the development of a large number of scientific disciplines is difficult to overestimate: the influence of their work on their own merits was noted by such great scientists as Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Nicolaus Copernicus.
Mathematics owes Pythagoras the creation of the doctrine of prime and composite, even and odd numbers, proportions, geometric and arithmetic averages. It is impossible to imagine the existence of mathematics without the famous Pythagorean theorem, the authorship of which is also attributed to the ancient Greek scientist. Moreover, Pythagoras made a significant contribution to the development of geometry, astronomy and philosophy.
Spread the multiplication table
For the first time, the multiplication table began to be used for teaching schoolchildren in medieval England. In parallel with this, she gained popularity in other countries of Europe and Asia.
It is believed that in Russia the publication of the first multiplication table took place in 1682 in the first printed mathematical book. Interestingly, this table contained products of pairs of numbers from 1 to 100. At present, copies of the book can be found in some Russian scientific libraries.
The development of mathematics, physics, chemistry and many other sciences would be impossible without ordering information about the operation of multiplying numbers. The Pythagorean table is a fundamental knowledge that every person needs: from young schoolchildren to adult readers who have graduated long ago.
Knowing the multiplication table will come in handy more than once in life for every person. Think about refreshing your knowledge or getting to know it for the first time - there is nothing difficult in learning the multiplication table!
