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Mathematics, Numbers, and Computers - Who Discovered The Formula For The Area Of A Triangle?

Who discovered the formula for the area of a triangle?

Heron (or Hero) of Alexandria (first century B.C.) is best known for having discovered the formula for calculating the area of a triangle. In Heron's formula, as it is called, the sides of a triangle are labeled "a," "b," and "c"; V is equal to half the perimeter. A (area)=

Arab scholars who studied the mathematics of the ancient Greeks claimed that this formula was known earlier to Greek mathematician Archimedes (ca. 287-212 B.C). The oldest written record of the formula, however, exists in Heron's Metrica.

Sources: Boyer, Carl B. A History of Mathematics, 2nd ed., p. 193; Gibson, Carol. The Facts On File Dictionary of Mathematics, Rev. ed., p. 88.

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