MAT 336: History of Mathematics

Course Schedule - Lecture 1 - Spring 2026

Note: This schedule may change as needed. Check regularly for updates.

# Date Topic Quizzes - HW Paper/Presentation
1 Jan 27 Math History Introduction – Info about the course
2 Jan 29 Reliable Sources – Counting Foundations Info and topic choice form
3 Feb 3 Cultural Counting Methods / Number Systems
4 Feb 5 Number Systems Quiz 1: Foundations: Sources and the Beginnings of Counting and Numbers Lect 1 and 2.
5 Feb 10 Mathematics in Ancient Egypt Bring printed slides draft (9 per page) for class activity.
6 Feb 12 Mathematics in Ancient Egypt Quiz 2. Number Systems. PDF of Slides.
7 Feb 17 Mesopotamia/ Egypt
8 Feb 19 Mathematics in Ancient Mesopotamia Quiz 3 Egypt
9 Feb 24 Snow day No class
10 Feb 26 Mesopotamian Mathematics: Plimpton Quiz 4 Mesopotamia
11 Mar 3 Hellenic Mathematics Before Euclid
12 Mar 5 Hellenic Mathematics Before Euclid Quiz 5 Plimpton 322 Presentations start
13 Mar 10 Hellenic Mathematics Before Euclid
14 Mar 12 Euclid's Elements – History and Impact - Axiom Systems Draft Paper (500 words) with excerpts/screenshots.
Spring Break Week - Mo March 16 to Fr March 20
15 Mar 24 Euclid's Elements – Axiom Systems
16 Mar 26 Euclid's Elements – Number theory - Pythagorean Theorem Quiz 6 Earliest Hellenic. Draft Paper (750 words)
17 Mar 31 Archimedes
18 Apr 2 Apollonius, Eratosthenes, Ptolemy, Diophantus Quiz 7 Euclid Draft Paper (1000 words)
19 Apr 7 Chinese Mathematics
20 Apr 9 Chinese Mathematics Quiz 8 Archimedes Draft Paper (1250 words)
21 Apr 14 Indian Mathematics
22 Apr 16 Indian / Islamic Mathematics Quiz 9. China Final Draft (1500 words)
23 Apr 21 Islamic Mathematics
24 Apr 23 Renaissance Mathematics Quiz 10 India/Islamic Paper due.
25 Apr 28 Renaissance Mathematics
26 Apr 30 Calculus Origins Quiz 11 Renaissance.
27 May 5 Selected Topics
28 May 7 Review / Last Day Quiz 12: Review and reflection.

Presentation schedules: See Lecture 1 and Lecture 2 for specific presentation dates and topics.