On 6 Mar 2004 03:09:10 -0800, (Cliff Huprich) wrote:

(1)See http://www.math.ubc.ca/people/facult...l/bpi/bpi.html
for math calculations whose formulas I can't reproduce in a newsgroup
post.

John,
Would this not imply that:
A) They already used the decimal system
B) Had invented zero

No. Like most cultures before the invention of zero and the decimal
system, they used a complex series of continued fractions. See item 3.
on the reference page.

C) Could easily do long division

No, with difficulty did long devision. The Romans for instance did
long division in Roman numerals, and if you think that ain't a trick
just try it!

A) Someone is playing fast and loose with numerology (as well as
languages)and trying to fudge things just a little?

Just how old is that supposed to be, anyway?

Note the site I got it from --UBC-- is a university, not a religious
propaganda site with an axe to grind. The paper itself was submitted
to a major university in France. Note the references at the bottom of
the page. I suspect :

W. M. Feldman 1965: Rabbinical Mathematics and Astronomy,
Hermon Press, New-York.
and
R. J. Gillings 1972: Mathematics in the Time of the Pharaohs,
The MIT Press, Cambridge.
would be informative if you're near a university library.