Throwback Fact: Mancala

An example of a modern Mancala board from Europe
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bao_europe.jpg

        Many historians believe that Mancala is the oldest board game in existence. Since Mancala is one of our favorite games in the office we decided that for the throwback fact of the week we would take a look at Mancala.

        Mancala is a/the term used to describe a collection of similar games, of which there are over 800 around the world. Some of the variations include Bao, which is played across the east coast of Africa, Oware, which is played in the Caribbean, and Kalah, which is the modern game played in the US and Europe, which we call Mancala. It is unclear exactly where Mancala originated but many historians believe it was in Africa where players used to carve holes in the ground and use pebbles to play.

Bao players in Zanzibar 
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bao_players_in_stone_town_zanzibar.jpg

        There are many different theories as to what the original purpose of the game was for ancient people. One theory is that it was a record keeping system used to manage debit and credits, which were represented by the two sides of the board. Another theory is that Mancala was a ritual at funerals, weddings and other ceremonies. It could also have just originated as a game, which is its main use now.

        Whatever the origins of Mancala one thing is for sure, ancient people needed to count to play, just like we do now. Mancala is a great game for teaching kids how to count and work on strategic thinking skills as they age. 

Tell us, what are some of your favorite board games?

Source: 1, 2, 3

TeachingCenter - From Comedy Central's Key & Peele

Key & Peele - TeachingCenter

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Imagine a world in which society places as much importance on teachers and academics as it does athletes and athletics.

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Advanced Knowledge Problem of the Week

Here's a new differential equations Advanced Knowledge Problem of the Week, which we've put up on all our social media.

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Problem of the Week

Here's a new Problem of the Week from the Center of Math, which is a bit harder than some other ladders-resting-on-walls problems you might know.

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Throwback Fact: Ada Lovelace and the Analytical Engine

Portrait of Ada Lovelace
image: commons.wikimedia.org

Ada Lovelace was born in London, England in 1815 to a poet father and math-loving mother. After her father left the family when she was just four, Ada’s mother raised her on a strict regiment of science, logic, and mathematics. Due to this she developed an early love for machines and technology, a passion that would lead her down a path of scientific discovery. 

Relationship with Charles Babbage:

In 1833, at around seventeen, Lovelace was introduced to Charles Babbage, a mathematician and inventor who was famous for his work with calculating machines. Babbage became a mentor to Lovelace who was captivated by his innovative work. Soon, Babbage would ask Lovelace to work with him on his newest invention called the Analytical Engine, which was meant to perform mathematical calculations just like a computer.

Lovelace’s Work:

Babbage asked Lovelace to translate an article on the analytical machine written by Italian engineer Luigi Federico Menabrea. While translating the text from French to English, she also added her own thoughts and ideas on the machine. She theorized that the machine could repeat a series of instruction, a process known as “looping” that is still used today by computer programmers. She also created codes so that the device could handle numbers, letters, and symbols. Due to these findings and theories, Lovelace is often considered the first computer programmer. 

Lovelace’s Legacy:

Ada Lovelace envisioned a world where machines would be an integral part of human imagination. At the time, these ideas where dismissed by the scientific community because they were too difficult to comprehend. Just like many other visionaries of her era, only time and knowledge could lead to the acceptance of her work. In the 1970’s, engineers at the United States Department of Defense, inspired by her work on the calculation of Bernoulli numbers, named a computer programing language Ada in her honor. Today, Lovelace also serves as an inspiration to many women in the STEM fields, who see her as a visionary who lived before her time. They celebrate Ada Lovelace Day on the second Tuesday of October in her honor. 

Sources: 1, 2

Advanced Knowledge Problem of the Week

Here's a new Advanced Knowledge Problem of the Week from the Center of Math! This one's from the field of analysis, and deals with a very peculiar metric space, even though it's built out of some of the most basic ones. 

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