Overview

China has one of the world's oldest traditions in mathematical discovery, comparable to those of Egypt and the Middle East. The first Chinese mathematics text is of uncertain age, some dating it as early as 1200 B.C. and others over a thousand years later, but there is little doubt that relatively advanced mathematical concepts were discovered and practiced in China well before the birth of Christ. For much of its history, China has been in contact with the West, albeit intermittently, and Chinese and Western mathematicians influenced each other for centuries. Although it is sometimes difficult to determine who influenced whom, some Chinese contributions clearly predate those of the West, or are so obviously different that it is apparent they arose independently. In any event, the history of Chinese mathematics is both long and distinguished.

Background

There is no way to know when...