Where did the language of maths come from?
Discussion
First of all, I vote for a few more Emoticon icons; preferably a question mark icon. 
On to the question at hand; I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately (which will be the topic of other threads yet to be created by myself) ranging from Ancient Egypt, the Universe, drug addiction, prisons, etc etc etc and a few most recently about String Theory (to which I am an advocate of; wait for the appropriate topic) and Quantum Physics and the likes.
Math is the language of the universe it has been said and if intelligent life does exist out there and we try and communicate it would be highly probable that the communication would be through mathematics. I suppose there is a chance it may come in the form of pictures, but one would assume if they are intelligent enough to make contact with us purposely, it would be through math.
My question is this; How in the world did mathematics and more specifically physics originate? I suppose answering this would be like trying to answer the origin of language. Who said we'll use 26 characters and they will mean "this" when put together?
How did one who was one day pondering the working of the universe suddenly come up with the idea of using equations to prove or disprove their query?
I must warn you by the way that math was my worse subject by far.
so please....be gentle.
On to the question at hand; I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately (which will be the topic of other threads yet to be created by myself) ranging from Ancient Egypt, the Universe, drug addiction, prisons, etc etc etc and a few most recently about String Theory (to which I am an advocate of; wait for the appropriate topic) and Quantum Physics and the likes.
Math is the language of the universe it has been said and if intelligent life does exist out there and we try and communicate it would be highly probable that the communication would be through mathematics. I suppose there is a chance it may come in the form of pictures, but one would assume if they are intelligent enough to make contact with us purposely, it would be through math.
My question is this; How in the world did mathematics and more specifically physics originate? I suppose answering this would be like trying to answer the origin of language. Who said we'll use 26 characters and they will mean "this" when put together?
How did one who was one day pondering the working of the universe suddenly come up with the idea of using equations to prove or disprove their query?
I must warn you by the way that math was my worse subject by far.
so please....be gentle.Targ - Not 1 TBH and I am 30 years old. I knew I should have just Wiki'd it and avoid a proper PH whipping LOL Quick someone quote my OP so I cant delete it and save myself further embarrassment and shame 
Pumpkin and Doofus - MathS is it? I had no idea, seriously. It doesn't sound right to me though.
Perhaps my next thread will attract a more reasonable discussion. Ah screw it, I may as well do it here and now...
Again, my curiosity has been sparked by my viewing of an array of documentaries, and I wonder....
There are so many mysteries/questions surrounding ancient Egypt and their engineering and intelligence etc. Why are there questions? Why? How? Because how is there not living descendants of Egyptian culture where such information has been passed down. The Mayans too, hell, every great civilization or man. Take Jesus Christ for example, or Buddha, anyone, surely there must be someone alive today who is a knowing descendant. I mean seriously, what happened, all the people who were alive in Ancient Egypt who had offspring spanning 3,000 years just suddenly all disappeared?
Pumpkin and Doofus - MathS is it? I had no idea, seriously. It doesn't sound right to me though.
Perhaps my next thread will attract a more reasonable discussion. Ah screw it, I may as well do it here and now...
Again, my curiosity has been sparked by my viewing of an array of documentaries, and I wonder....
There are so many mysteries/questions surrounding ancient Egypt and their engineering and intelligence etc. Why are there questions? Why? How? Because how is there not living descendants of Egyptian culture where such information has been passed down. The Mayans too, hell, every great civilization or man. Take Jesus Christ for example, or Buddha, anyone, surely there must be someone alive today who is a knowing descendant. I mean seriously, what happened, all the people who were alive in Ancient Egypt who had offspring spanning 3,000 years just suddenly all disappeared?
Eric Mc said:
The mathematics of today is derived from work carried out by humans going back to ancient times. Therefore, a lot of the expressions that are used trace their roots to the languages of ancient civilisations.
Some of the basic stuff is actually Arabic. It was the Arabs who popularised the use of Base 10 and it was also the Arabs who invented the concept of Zero and Minus numbers. The digits 1, 2,3, 4 etc are also Arabic in nature. Some mathematical expressions are Arabic too - algebra, algorithim for example.
Most of the letters we us in algebra are Roman A, B, C, X etc.
Some symbols we use are ancient Greek - Delta, Pi, Omega, Sigma etc.
Thank you!Some of the basic stuff is actually Arabic. It was the Arabs who popularised the use of Base 10 and it was also the Arabs who invented the concept of Zero and Minus numbers. The digits 1, 2,3, 4 etc are also Arabic in nature. Some mathematical expressions are Arabic too - algebra, algorithim for example.
Most of the letters we us in algebra are Roman A, B, C, X etc.
Some symbols we use are ancient Greek - Delta, Pi, Omega, Sigma etc.
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