The Rhind papyrus is an Egyptian mathematical text, named after the Scottish antiquarian Alexander Henry Rhind who bought it in 1858 in Luxor. It is one of the oldest known mathematical texts, dating back to 1650 BC. It is a copy of a now lost Middle Kingdom papyrus.
The text was written in the hieratic script
The papyrus is 3 metres long and contains 87 problems. The text was written in the hieratic script, which was used by scribes during that period.
The papyrus shows how the Egyptians solved mathematical problems using algebra. It also contains information on Egyptian geometry, including measurements of pyramids and circumferences of circles. Some of the problems involve finding the volume of objects such as cylinders and pyramids.
The Rhind papyrus is an important source of information on ancient Egyptian mathematics. It has helped historians to understand how the Egyptians approached mathematical problems, and has also given insight into the development of algebra.
The Rhind papyrus is currently on display at the British Museum in London.
