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PYTHAGORAS of SAMOS
A Collection of Essays and Lessons for Junior and Senior High School

Below are a collection of essays on the influence of Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans on Western civilisation, and in particular, Western Mathematics. Beside each is an Activity that investigates the mathematics of the period and a suggested audience.


Essays
Related Activities
Suggested Target Audience for Activity

1. Setting the Scene - 600 B.C.E.


Activity 1 - Universal time line Junior Secondary

2. Pythagoras' Theorem - origins and proofs


Activity 2 - That Theorem Junior Secondary

3. Pythagorean Number - origins of abstract number concepts


Activity 3 - Odds and Evens - Direct Proof
Activity 4 - Finite differences and Proof by Induction
Junior/Senior Secondary
Senior Secondary
 

4. Pythagorean Algebra/proportion - origins of geometric algebra


Activity 5 - Solution of Quadratics Junior Secondary
5. Pythagorean Geometry - origins of logical method
Activity 6 - Regular Polygons

Activity 7 - Regular Polyhedrons


Junior Secondary
Junior Secondary