the author (authors) of the solution of the problem of points contained in
the Florentine manuscript (Magl. Cl. XI, 120 of the National Library in
Florence) from about 1400 is (are) not known. My own guess is based on the
following observations:
1. Nothing similar has been found in the different manuscripts of Italian
maestri d'abacco, at least so far.
2.The writer and with some probability not the originator of this part of
the manuscript did not understand properly (any more?) the method used for
the solution of the problem of points.
3. Later Italian authors beginning with Luca Pacioli concerned with the
problem of points tried to solve it in analogy to economical models.
4. We do not have the slightest evidence of an intellectual environment,
lets say at an Italian court of the 13th or 14th century, which would
suggest the development of such a solution (which of course does not
exclude the existence of some Fibonaccilike figure at e.g. the court of
Frederick II. in Palermo who found the solution the understandig of which
got lost until the end of the 14th century).
In the light of all this I consider the solution contained in this
manuscript of 1400 as originated in another culture for which the most
probable candidate is that of the Islam. This is of course already pure
speculation as is everything that you might conclude from it.
Sincerely
Ivo Schneider
> Prof. Schneider,
>
> Greetings! In your presentation entitled "The market place and
> games of chance in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries"(1988) you
> refer to a manuscript containing an early solution of the problem of
> points. Although the manuscript contains some problems by Antonio de
> Mazzinghi, the problem of points is treated by another (or more than
> one) author. Do you know if this authorship has been determined?
> Thank you for your time and consideration.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Jim Kiernan
> Brooklyn College