Mathematics is a field of science that deals with the logic of reason, quantity, arrangement, sequence, and shape. And math is involved in almost everything we do today, whether we know about it or not. It is largely to thank for our mobile phones, computers, tablets, most of our methods of transport, and even our buildings. Math is one of the most important fields of science. But who were the great minds that really put this important field on the map? Where was mathematics invented? Who do we owe this gratitude to? Because maths is so vast, and is involved in so many types of studies, we can not really say that one person alone is to be crowned the inventor of math! The field slowly developed over thousands of years and with the help of many savvy individuals! There are traces of mathematics in the history of almost every civilisation. The discoveries of maths increased with the need of the people at the time, as they became more advanced, so too did the discoveries of math.
Was maths discovered or invented?
Another way to view the question is, instead of “when was maths invented”, rather, when was maths discovered? If it was always there, such as the laws of physics, was it simply discovered and understood, instead of being invented? Many people argue that mathematics existed way before we found it and had a use for it. Many people suggest that the early adopters of mathematics were the early civilisations such as Greece, India, China, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. Therefore, perhaps nobody invented maths, and people just discovered it, just like we make discoveries in the other fields of science!
Math History facts
There are many proofs, and truths about mathematics that make sense way before mathematicians could make sense of them. The Sumerians were the first civilisation to have developed a counting system. It is a common belief amongst many scientists that some of the oldest and most basic mathematical functions, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division have been used for over 4,000 years. The workbooks used in those times were clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia. There are also examples of the Egyptians having made mathematical discoveries dating back around 4,000 years and seen on Egyptian papyruses (an ancient writing material). In Central America, the Mayans were using mathematics to further their understanding of astronomy. They developed elaborate calendars and used maths as a means to understand the passing of time. The history of mathematics then began to speed up when discoveries were then formalised and became an organised science in Greece around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. Once the ancient Greeks began discovering explanations for natural phenomena and put some of the foundations on arithmetic and geometry, the discoveries in applied mathematics began to greatly accelerate. The concept of geometry allows for the construction of structures, vehicles, and cities.
History of maths
It is supposed that math was made out of a result of necessity, such as needing to count, that it is not surprising that the first parts of math to be discovered were the basic parts of math. Whether it was rationing a food supply or preparing the ranks of an army for battle, the basics of math functions were needed. This is why it is agreed amongst scientists that the oldest (4,000 years) mathematical models were the simplest! Once there was a widely accepted and understood use of the basics of mathematics, the science evolved and grew, slowly over time, into what we know of it today, such as geometry, algebra, differential geometry, calculus, trigonometry, and even probability. Like many fields of science, once there was a widespread acceptance of a particular phenomenon, the continual discoveries kept coming time after time. Once many people saw mathematics as an organised science and realised the benefits of putting the science to use, many in the world, began to understand and develop more mathematical proofs. And that is when we began to name the great names behind the equations, such as the great mathematicians, Pythagoras and Euclid. Pythagoras’ discoveries regarding the sides of a triangle were around 2,500 years ago and spurred many other discoveries in geometry, although we still definitely remember his name. All of the great names, that researched, tested, and formalised understanding of theorem are remembered today through the names of particular theorems and mathematical terms. As such, the answer as to who really invented math is one without an answer. It was discovered, and by many people, over many millennia. We think it is nicer to say that the world, as a whole, is responsible for math, and humanity is responsible for its discovery.
