Computing through the Ages

From Bones to Binary

Author: Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods Series: Technology through the Ages

"Every civilization through history needed one thing to trade, build monuments, and grow food: math. Explore the many unique computing systems created by ancient civilizations and how they developed into the numbers and equations we use today"--

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“The discovery both of [geometry] and of the other sciences proceeded from utility.”—Proclus Lycius, Greek philosopher, fifth century CE

“Geometry is the knowledge of the eternally existent.”—Plato, Republic, ca. 380 BCE

Ancient peoples around the world navigated the seas, built wonders of engineering, and measured time with amazing precision. How were they able to do all of this without calculators or digital computers? One technology made it all possible: computing.

The earliest evidence of counting is tally sticks from around 35000 BCE. Since then, societies worldwide developed complex mathematics to achieve difficult feats of calculation and engineering. Math fields like arithmetic, algebra, and geometry were used for surveying land, measuring the weight of gold, and even building the pyramids. Some ancient creations—such as the mysterious Antikythera device—are so complex archeologists are still fascinated by them.

From base-10 to the abacus, learn about the ancient computation methods that formed the basis for smartphones and digital computers.

Critic Reviews

"Readers learn about various aspects of key developments, including the factors that spurred innovation, benefits to humans, and specific details on techniques and inventions. . . Well-written resources for middle and high schoolers."—School Library Journal

About the Author

Michael Woods is a science and medical writer whose nationally syndicated newspaper stories and columns have won numerous national awards. He directs a program at the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, to inform the public about science. He and his wife, Mary B. Woods, have written almost forty books together. Michael is the writer, and Mary is the researcher. Mary B. Woods is an elementary school librarian in the Fairfax County (VA) Public School system. She has presented at international librarians' conferences. Mary has worked with her husband, Michael Woods, to write almost forty books. She is the researcher, and Michael is the writer.