Zur Frühgeschichte algebraischer Denkweisen. (On the early history of algebraic thinking) (Q1262291)

1. When a ``currency'' did not yet exist a ``price'' had to be defined as the amount of merchandises one obtained for a ``unit of silver''. One had to sell at a ``lower price'', y, than one bought at, x, handling a quantity of merchandises A. The gain, G, had to be computed from \(A/y- A/x=G\), or \(xyG=A(x-y)\). Assuming \(x-y=p\) the second relation is \(xy=pG/A\), see Susa Text L. The merchant is faced with the practical problem of solving this quadratic system, which he did using the relation \((x+y)^ 2=(x-y)^ 2+4xy.\) Millions of merchants had to do that already before the Old Babylonian Period. The apodictical statement of the author: ``Kein babylonischer Schreiber aber war je auf ein praktisches Problem zweiten Grades gestoßen'' is historically and fundamentally wrong. 2. The author starts with remarks on ``old periods'' but gives examples on later periods only, say after 1800 B.C., and thus a statement as: ``Man findet weder hier noch... irgendwelche Gleichungstheorie'' is for texts after 1800 B.C. certainly wrong. The Susa texts gave the reduction of systems of bilinear equations, the cascades of quadratic equations, whereas on VAT 8391 and VAT 8389 the system of two linear equations is discussed in detail, culminating (TMB 210) in the identity \(ax+by=c\) as \((a+b)(x+y)+(a-b)(x-y)=2c\) [Physis, p. 286 (1962)]. 3. The Susa texts proved the material to be extant using the sexagesimal point, if wished or necessary, indicating the absolute value of a quantity. This refutes (since 1961 available), that all ``ist ohne Angabe von absolutem Stellenwert''. 4. The same texts around TMB 210 give the refutation of the interpretation of \(LUL=sarru\) of a ``regula falsi''. This does not exist in Babylonian Mathematics. The ``false area'', the ``false length'', the ``false corn'' indicate the coefficient, the amount per unit, of the term corresponding to that in the equation [see Physis, p. 288 (1962)]. 5. Of the mostly wrong etymological considerations of the author we only indicate ``waşitu'' according to the author: ```Das Herausgehende' ist ein architektonisch-geometrischer Begriff''. The Babylonian considered what from the ``number'' could ``come out'' - say, as ``smallest''. i.e. the Unit. waşu, waşitu is the unit. This generally accepted etymology is to be found TMB, page 228. These remarks make it clear that it is nearly impossible to ascribe any value to the considerations and assertions given in this paper.