Was Thales the True Pioneer of Trigonometry?

In summary, the field of trigonometry was first developed by the ancient Greek mathematician Hipparchus around 140 BC. He created the first known table of chords, which were used to calculate the length of a chord subtended by a given angle in a circle. Later, the Greek philosopher Thales is credited with popularizing geometry and separating trigonometry as an independent concept in mathematics.
  • #1
Joffe
36
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I have read that astronomers are responsible for much of the advances in trig hundreds of years ago but never seem to find who exactly pioneered this field of research.
 
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  • #2
The first work on trigonometric functions related to chords of a circle. Given a circle of fixed radius, 60 units were often used in early calculations, then the problem was to find the length of the chord subtended by a given angle. For a circle of unit radius the length of the chord subtended by the angle x was 2sin (x/2). The first known table of chords was produced by the Greek mathematician Hipparchus in about 140 BC. Although these tables have not survived, it is claimed that twelve books of tables of chords were written by Hipparchus. This makes Hipparchus the founder of trigonometry.
http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Trigonometric_functions.html

i guess the 2sin(x/2) isn't what the greeks called it; that's what it's called in modern terminology
 
  • #3
I notice we don't have many people on this one. WELL, when I was in high school, I was told that THALES (Thales the Milesian) Ca 635BC-543BC was a businessman who traveled to Egypt and decided to write up and systemize their geometry, which was used for ownership decisions after the Nile overflowed.

I quote: Thales is credited with first popularizing geometry in ancient Greek culture, mainly that of spatial relationships. He is the first one who separated trigonometry as an independent group from Mathematics, to be one of the four basic "elements" of geometry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales
 

FAQ: Was Thales the True Pioneer of Trigonometry?

Who is credited as the founder of Trigonometry?

The ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer Hipparchus is credited as the founder of Trigonometry. He lived in the 2nd century BCE and is known for his work on the study of triangles and their angles.

Did Hipparchus discover Trigonometry on his own?

No, Hipparchus did not discover Trigonometry on his own. He built upon the work of earlier civilizations, such as the Babylonians and Egyptians, who also had some knowledge of trigonometric concepts.

Why is the word "Trigonometry" derived from Greek?

The word "Trigonometry" comes from the Greek words "trigonon" meaning triangle and "metron" meaning measure. This reflects the focus of trigonometry on the study of triangles and their measurements.

Did other cultures or civilizations contribute to the development of Trigonometry?

Yes, other cultures and civilizations, such as the Chinese, Indians, and Persians, also made significant contributions to the development of trigonometry. They used trigonometric concepts in various fields such as astronomy, navigation, and surveying.

How has Trigonometry evolved since its discovery?

Trigonometry has evolved significantly since its discovery by Hipparchus. Over the centuries, new trigonometric functions and identities have been developed, and its applications have expanded to various fields such as physics, engineering, and computer graphics.

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