Stone tablet shows Babylonians able to approximate √2 with 99.9999% accuracy (twitter.com)

Article summary

A stone tablet from 1800-1600 BC shows that ancient Babylonians approximated the square root of two with 99.9999% accuracy. The method used to achieve this approximation is not explicitly stated in the tablet, but it is believed to be related to a special case of the Newton-Raphson method. The tablet's discovery has sparked interest in the mathematical abilities of ancient civilizations. The exact method used by the Babylonians is still a topic of debate among scholars.

Main themes

• ancient mathematics
• Babylonian civilization
• mathematical approximations
• Newton-Raphson method
• academic rigor
• paywalls and accessibility
• pop journalism vs academic accuracy

What commenters say

• The article's explanation of the Babylonians' method for approximating the square root of two is clear and well-illustrated, but lacks depth and academic rigor.
• The use of a paywall to restrict access to the full explanation is seen as unnecessary and potentially misleading.
• The method used by the Babylonians is likely to be a simple iterative method, rather than a more complex algorithm like Newton-Raphson.
• The discovery of the tablet highlights the advanced mathematical abilities of ancient civilizations, but more research is needed to fully understand their methods and achievements.
• The article's presentation of the topic is seen as a form of 'pop journalism' that prioritizes engagement over academic accuracy.
• The removal of the paywall is a positive step, but the use of Substack as a platform is seen as problematic due to its limitations, such as the lack of support for mathematical formulas.