[HM] trial and error

Bernd Buldt (Bernd.Buldt@uni-konstanz.de)
Wed, 11 Aug 1999 07:22:55 +0000

Dear Bob Berghout & Milo Gardner,

many thanks for your kindly providing informations which look quite promising!

let me add two remarks. first, th. heath: hist. of greek math. (1921, dover
repr. 1981) vol. 2, p. 441 also gives two examples from papyri. but these
are examples of "simple false position" only. second, and possibly contrary
to eves' statement:

>Arab algebraic scholars seemed to
>be first to use double false position

you find an example of "double false position" in heron, as cited op. cit.
p. 341.

best, bb

********************************************************************

Bernd Buldt
FG Philosophie | Fon: [+49] (0)7531/88-2794 (Office)
Universitaet Konstanz | Fax: [+49] (0)7531/88-4121
D-78457 Konstanz | Fon/Fax: [+49] (0)7731/24116 (Private)
Germany | email: bernd.buldt@uni-konstanz.de

********************************************************************