Counting and Arithmetic of the Inca
Keywords:
Ethnomathematics, Inca, Yupana, Arithmetic, Etnomatemáticas, AritméticaAbstract
The Inca Empire - the greatest pre-Columbian empire on the American continent - extended from Ecuador to central Chile for more than five thousand miles. Its capital was Cuzco established in the high Peruvian Andes. This highly advanced civilization developed a counting system used to run the empire - in particular, to build the 14,000 mile road structure and monumental architecture. Some of the algorithms believed to be used by the Inca to do computations using a yupana, an ancient calculating device, will be presented, as well as classroom activities for the course “Mathematics in Non-European Cultures” for non Mathematics and Science majors offered at Millersville University of Pennsylvania.
Key Words: Ethnomathematics, Inca, Yupana, Arithmetic
Resumen
El Imperio Inca – el imperio pre-Colombino más grande del continente Americano – se extendió desde Ecuador hasta Chile central por más de cinco mil millas. La capital fue Cuzco, la que fue establecida en las Alturas de los Andes Peruanos. Esta civilización altamente avanzada desarrolló un sistema contable para organizar el imperio – en particular, para construir una red de caminos de 14.000 millas y una arquitectura monumental. Algunos de los algoritmos que se creen haber sido usados por los Inca para hacer cálculos fue la "yupana". Este antiguo artefacto de cálculo será presentado, entre otras actividades del curso “Matemáticas en Culturas No-Europeas” para estudiantes de todas las áreas de concentración, excepto Matemáticas y Ciencia, ofrecido en la Universidad de Millersville en Pennsylvania.
Palabras Clave: Etnomatemáticas, Inca, Yupana, Aritmética
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References
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