TOK Presentation Group Topics

Mathematics and Culture

Is mathematics purely universal or is there a cultural perspective to it ??

a) The possibility of cultural perspective ? ( maximum 10 min per community )

Look at their counting system . What made them come up with their systems ?

-The Mayan civilization
-The australian Aborigines
-The polynesian
-The ancient egyptians
-The ancient Chinese
Group Earl Grey ( Fakar , Anip , Acad , Abe )

-The Indians
-Muslim civilisation
-The ancient greeks
-The ancient Romans
Group Derjeeling ( Azzeem , Aizat , Ezreeah , Fatehah , Nadd )

b) The universality of mathematics ( maximum 15 mins per concept )

Look at the following and find out how many different cultures came up with the same / almost
the same concept even though they were divided by distance . Focus is on the past when man was not pretty connected by transportation and communication devices and when society were
pretty much insular in nature .

i) The zero concept
Group Mint ( Ojey , Ju , Acap , Lilo )

ii)Aspects of geometry
Group Oolong ( Alif , Nabilah , Amir , Faqir , Fazmy )

iii) The Pi concept
Group Chamomille ( Dinie , Imran , Daus , Arnold , Qasim )