Sangaku and Soroban
I started a facebook fan page today for Sangaku, which are mathematical tablets usually hosting geometry problems that were hung in Shinto shrines during the Edo period. They are examples of Wasan, which is the name for more indigenous mathematics (driven partly by the Edo period nationalist spirit). Wasan comes from the Chinese name for Japan which is 'Wa' and 'San' literally means calculation but is generally used to denote mathematics. Yosan, incidentally, was the name given to Western mathematics.
Anyway, anyone interested in Sangaku can check out the page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Japan/Sangaku-suan-e/263050623043?ref=nf
I ordered a 27 digit Soroban (Japanese abacus) online yesterday. I was happy to have found a Japanese company that makes them in Tokyo who could airmail me one all the way here. I am kicking myself for not bringing one back myself from Japan, but I didn't know one would be so useful back then. I know the theory behind their use and am looking forward to doing some calculations myself on it. I plan on giving a talk later this year on the history of the device and its operation.
Anyway, anyone interested in Sangaku can check out the page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Japan/Sangaku-suan-e/263050623043?ref=nf
I ordered a 27 digit Soroban (Japanese abacus) online yesterday. I was happy to have found a Japanese company that makes them in Tokyo who could airmail me one all the way here. I am kicking myself for not bringing one back myself from Japan, but I didn't know one would be so useful back then. I know the theory behind their use and am looking forward to doing some calculations myself on it. I plan on giving a talk later this year on the history of the device and its operation.