MATH 4109 Kim Harris - Test 2 UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
True or False: The Chinese numeration system that requred the use of a counting board and rods
was not a positional system. - CORRECT ANSWER - False
Why is the book Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art significant in the history of
mathematics? - CORRECT ANSWER - It is central to Chinese mathematical activity for
hundreds of years.
What strategy did the Chinese use on their counting boards to avoid confusion between
consecutive places? - CORRECT ANSWER - Alternating the orientation of the rods.
Why did Chinese mathematics develop independently of Western cultural influence for so long?
- CORRECT ANSWER - The geography isolated the region from the rest of the world.
We have used the word "gnomon" in several places during this course, particularly during the
module on ancient Chinese mathematics. What letter of the alphabet is a gnomon shaped like? -
CORRECT ANSWER -L
Chinese Square Root Algorithm: If a, b, and c are the digits (respectively) of the square root of x,
then which of the following is equal to square root(x) ? - CORRECT ANSWER - 100a +
10b + c
Which set of numbers was used on the counting boards of the ancient Chinese? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Integers -- both positive and negative
The method that Liu Hui used to approximate the value of π was similar to the method used by
which Greek mathematician? - CORRECT ANSWER - Archimedes
, The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art was central to the development of mathematics in
which country? - CORRECT ANSWER - China
How was ancient Chinese mathematics different from ancient Greek mathematics? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The Chinese mathematics did not have a proof-based axiomatic development.
In what area did the mathematician, Al-Uqlidisi, make his contributions? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Decimal fractions
What was the FIRST "translation movement?" - CORRECT ANSWER - The movement to
translate the world's knowledge into Arabic
To what did "al-Jabr" and "al-Muqabala" refer in the title of al-Khwarizmi's book? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The operations used during the Islamic Empire to solve equations.
What was the significance of The Book on Addition and Subtraction? - CORRECT
ANSWER - It explained the use of the Hindu decimal system of numerals.
The Islamic mathematician, al-Khwarizmi, made his most significant contributions to which
topic in mathematics? - CORRECT ANSWER - Solving equations
The mathematician, al-Khwarizmi, used a symbol for zero in his book about numeration. -
CORRECT ANSWER - True
Which city was the academic and intellectual center of the Islamic Empire and the home to the
House of Wisdom? - CORRECT ANSWER - Baghdad
Which mathematician/poet used geometric methods to solve cubic equations? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Omar Khayyam
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
True or False: The Chinese numeration system that requred the use of a counting board and rods
was not a positional system. - CORRECT ANSWER - False
Why is the book Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art significant in the history of
mathematics? - CORRECT ANSWER - It is central to Chinese mathematical activity for
hundreds of years.
What strategy did the Chinese use on their counting boards to avoid confusion between
consecutive places? - CORRECT ANSWER - Alternating the orientation of the rods.
Why did Chinese mathematics develop independently of Western cultural influence for so long?
- CORRECT ANSWER - The geography isolated the region from the rest of the world.
We have used the word "gnomon" in several places during this course, particularly during the
module on ancient Chinese mathematics. What letter of the alphabet is a gnomon shaped like? -
CORRECT ANSWER -L
Chinese Square Root Algorithm: If a, b, and c are the digits (respectively) of the square root of x,
then which of the following is equal to square root(x) ? - CORRECT ANSWER - 100a +
10b + c
Which set of numbers was used on the counting boards of the ancient Chinese? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Integers -- both positive and negative
The method that Liu Hui used to approximate the value of π was similar to the method used by
which Greek mathematician? - CORRECT ANSWER - Archimedes
, The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art was central to the development of mathematics in
which country? - CORRECT ANSWER - China
How was ancient Chinese mathematics different from ancient Greek mathematics? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The Chinese mathematics did not have a proof-based axiomatic development.
In what area did the mathematician, Al-Uqlidisi, make his contributions? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Decimal fractions
What was the FIRST "translation movement?" - CORRECT ANSWER - The movement to
translate the world's knowledge into Arabic
To what did "al-Jabr" and "al-Muqabala" refer in the title of al-Khwarizmi's book? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The operations used during the Islamic Empire to solve equations.
What was the significance of The Book on Addition and Subtraction? - CORRECT
ANSWER - It explained the use of the Hindu decimal system of numerals.
The Islamic mathematician, al-Khwarizmi, made his most significant contributions to which
topic in mathematics? - CORRECT ANSWER - Solving equations
The mathematician, al-Khwarizmi, used a symbol for zero in his book about numeration. -
CORRECT ANSWER - True
Which city was the academic and intellectual center of the Islamic Empire and the home to the
House of Wisdom? - CORRECT ANSWER - Baghdad
Which mathematician/poet used geometric methods to solve cubic equations? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Omar Khayyam
