Chapter 4 Calculus textbooks for the Qing Dynasty

There are no x, y, z and many mathematical symbols that I am used to, and they replace some strange symbols, including A, Yi, B, D, Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao... There is no plus or minus sign! Not to mention the integral symbol ∫, differential symbol dx or logarithmic symbol ln!

The sin and cos that were once extremely familiar are all unfamiliar!

It was really difficult to see at first glance! It was like a bunch of ghost painting talismans... If you don’t know, you thought you were getting a mysterious alchemy book.

Li Yu studied it for a long time before he could see the clue.

He knew the translator of this book: Mr. Li Shanlan.

The familiar mathematical nouns we usually use are all first translated by him.

It should be that considering the acceptance ability of the Chinese people, Li Shanlan did not directly introduce Arabic numerals and English letters. He adopted a compromise method: Arabic numerals are replaced by Chinese "one, two, three, four"; while the 26 English letters are represented by the heavenly stems and earthly branches, which is "A, B, C, D", with a total of 22, plus "Heaven, Earth, People, and Things", which can be collected with 26.

There is also the integral symbol "∫", which uses the radical "子" of the character "子"; the differential symbol dx is naturally the radical "子" of the character "子".

To give the simplest example, ∫abxdx=ab∫xdx, using the method invented by Li Shanlan, this formula is written as: He Jia Yi Tian Tian Tian Tian Tian = Jia Yi He Tian Tian Tian.

Li Yu also discovered that the numerator of the Qing Dynasty was actually written in the opposite direction! The above was the denominator and the below was the numerator! It seemed that he understood why he had to read it as one-half, because people's writing habits at that time were from top to bottom and from right to left.

There is another point that makes Li Yu feel very awkward: the plus sign in the book is the capital "T", and then the "T" in turn is the minus sign.

Alas, if you have read the mathematics textbooks in the Qing Dynasty, you will suddenly feel that the mathematics textbooks in your hands are much more friendly and kind.

After understanding the rules, Li Yu finally understood the book. - The Book of Heaven became a novel in an instant. The mathematical knowledge involved in the book was really too simple for him.

As we were studying with relish, the steps of the two people came from outside the door.

Those who came were Fan Xiren and Zhu Xianwen. Both of them were from the Qing Dynasty. Fan Xiren was also the 32nd generation grandson of Fan Zhongyan.

Zhu Xianwen was older than Fan Xiren, but Fan Xiren's family background was prominent. Five years ago (1897), he passed the list with his father. The imperial court awarded the golden plaque "Father and Son to Same Semester" and was very famous!

Zhu Xianwen was recommended by the local Imperial College, which is the so-called "drawing tribute" student. Although the status of the drawing tribute student is not worse than that of the juren, the actual candidates who passed the exam are ultimately stronger, so Zhu Xianwen was quite polite to Fan Xiren.

Zhu Xianwen said: "Ren Qing (Fan Xiren's name) came to Tongwenguan so early, do you still have to learn Western mathematics?"

Fan Xiren said: "That's right, I studied in my mentor Xiangshuai's self-improvement school for several years in my early years. Now I have just learned the so-called differential and points. Unfortunately, the foreign guns and cannons are messing up the rhythm."

Xiangshuai is Zhang Zhidong.

Fan Xiren was quite angry in his words, and it seemed that he did not feel as frightened and afraid of foreigners as ordinary people. He should have been influenced by Zhang Zhidong.

Zhu Xianwen sighed and said, "I have spent more than three years studying foreign literature, but I always feel that it is too profound in subjects such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry. I always want to verify it with various schools of thought, but I can't understand the method. It would be great if I was as young as you!"

Zhu Xianwen was about to be 30 years old. He worked hard to learn foreign literature for several years, and then he was asked to learn to solve equations and the three laws of mechanics. It is indeed difficult for him to do so.

Fan Xiren was young and energetic, but he didn't think so: "I heard that Prince Qing and Rong Zhongtang are all studying Western learning now, and their age is much older than Brother Xianwen."

Prince Qing Yili is now in charge of the affairs of the Prime Minister, while Ronglu is the foreman of the military minister and the most powerful figure in the Qing Dynasty.

Zhu Xianwen smiled and said, "Foreigners just occupied the capital two years ago. I heard that the Dragon Crusade was seated by many big-headed soldiers. Now the Empress Dowager hates foreigners very much. At the beginning of the year, Prince Qing and Rong Zhongtang were still thinking about finding a foreigner to teach to the mansion, but they have not dared to invite them until now."

"Empress Dowager..." Fan Xiren wanted to speak but stopped. The Eight-Nation Alliance invaded, which really scared the old lady who was already sixty-five years old.

"The Queen Mother will understand it after all, so I won't mention these things! Brother Xianwen, in short, you must learn these things from the West, which are really mysterious!"

"Of course I understand this, it's so mysterious that I scratch my head and make me feel a lot of headache!"

Fan Xiren said: "You should show off the momentum of hanging your head and stinging the thighs "Doess of the Mean" when you were slung your head and stabbing the thighs. There will definitely be no problem."

Zhu Xianwen said: "I did do this, but I can't figure out why it's just a few numbers. What else is required for it," said Zhu Xianwen.

"That's because you haven't learned it well and you can't watch it yourself. The school still needs to recover as soon as possible."

While they were talking, they walked into the library and saw Li Yu in the corner at a glance. They just thought he was a servant and didn't care.

Fan Xiren took a book on the shelf where English classics were stored. After thinking about it, she put it down and walked to the bookshelf of Chinese translation.

After searching for a while, he said, "Hey, why are there missing calculus booklets?"

"Are you talking about this?" Li Yuyangyang said the Qing calculus book in his hand.

Fan Xiren found that the cover of the book in his hand was indeed calculus, so he took it, "You..."

Li Yu shrugged: "I am a librarian!"

Fan Xiren nodded and walked to the desk by the window with Zhu Xianwen. He spread a piece of paper and said to Zhu Xianwen: "Everyone knows that the Western military is strong. The reason why their cannons can be so accurate is because of the calculation and measurement of mathematics. The teacher of Ziqiang School said before that, when studying ballistics, you must understand mathematics and calculus."

"I didn't expect Ren Qing to study the theory of shooting!"

"You must have thought of throwing shells on their heads, too!"

Fan Xiren said while lifting his pen to start writing, while Zhu Xianwen helped him grind ink, looking very interested.

Fan Xiren is indeed familiar with the basic knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry. He has put a lot of effort into the Ziqiang School founded by Zhang Zhidong, Wuhan.

By the way, this Ziqiang Academy is the predecessor of Wuhan University, and it can be said to be the earliest alumni!

After a while, Fan Xiren copied several questions in the book and then calculated the problem. But soon, his pen stopped and he frowned and thought hard.

Zhu Xianwen next to him didn't understand the title of the title, so he could only stare at him.

Li Yu glanced at the side and saw at a glance that it was a basic definite integral calculation, and the integral of the function 2x-1 from 0 to 3 was obtained.

Of course, the question is still written in those special expressions, and it is really incredible when you look at it.

But the difficulty is really very low in reality. Li Yu casually said: "The answer is 6!"

(End of this chapter)
Chapter completed!