Math Art Project

 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BUMhyiXpnr9p3GK512ws_xO2O_lZ0MeMH87IPfahHm4/edit?usp=sharing

Chum Sung Dae was a celestial observatory that was built in 647 A.D. in modern day Kyeong Ju during the time of Queen Sun Duk of Silla. It is the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia and possibly in the world. Although form the name and some records of observations, it is believed to be a celestial observatory, but because of its location, height and inconvenient access, scholars believe that there could have been other purposes for the construction of Chum Sung Dae. One of the hypothesis is that it was built to symbolize ancient mathematical principles of the time because of several mathematical and astronomical attributes of the structure. 

One of the most interesting mathematical attributes that can be found in Chum Sngdae is the ratio between its dimensions. The ratio of its outer diameters between the layers 1 to 27 is 5:3, and ratio of height of the tower above the ground to the diagonal dimension of the upper layer of the podium is equal to 5:4 which makes the ratio of the triangle created when cut diagonally a basic Pythagorean triple of 5:4:3. There are records of mathematical adoptions from China during 300’s, so it is highly likely that they were indeed in possession of this knowledge.


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