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Published by The Open University
Since the dawn of civilisation, humans have used everyday materials to create mathematical models of the world around them. This album explores the ancient Greeks' astrolabe as a model of the skies; the sundial, to tell the time; Babylonian clay tablets to record wages and trading of sheep; wooden tallies for bulk-buying beer, the Incas' use of knots and string, and the sophisticated number-engine invented by Charles Babbage. This material forms part of The Open University course MST121 Using mathematics.
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A short introduction to this album.
Transcript -- A short introduction to this album.
An ancient mathematical tool to measure the daily and annual cycles of the earth around the sun.
Transcript -- An ancient mathematical tool to measure the daily and annual cycles of the earth around the sun.
How the Greeks invented a two dimensional astrolabe as a conceptual model of the cosmos, and how it was used.
Transcript -- How the Greeks invented a two dimensional astrolabe as a conceptual model of the cosmos, and how it was used.
Clay tokens, an ancient system used to record goods changing hands.
Transcript -- Clay tokens, an ancient system used to record goods changing hands.
How South American Incas kept records by the use of knots.
Transcript -- How South American Incas kept records by the use of knots.
How wholesale beer sales were recorded using notches on wooden tallies.
Transcript -- How wholesale beer sales were recorded using notches on wooden tallies.
John Napier's method of multiplication and logarithms, and how Charles Babbage corrected his calculations.
Transcript -- John Napier's method of multiplication and logarithms, and how Charles Babbage corrected his calculations.
Charles Babbage's ingenious mechanical device to compute mathematical equations.
Transcript -- Charles Babbage's ingenious mechanical device to compute mathematical equations.
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Observed November 4, 2026.
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