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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Chapter 2.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The preclassic Maya and their neighbors supposedly developed the concept of zero by what year?
(a) 36 BC.
(b) 10 BC.
(c) 50 BC.
(d) 23 BC.

2. The ancient Babylonians had a number system based on what increment?
(a) 20.
(b) 60.
(c) 10.
(d) 5.

3. Pythagoreanism was a cult that greatly influenced what philosophical system?
(a) Hinduism.
(b) Platonism.
(c) Buddhism.
(d) Athenism.

4. Pythagoreanism developed into two separate schools of thought. What group was called “the listeners” in Greek?
(a) The omnimatioi.
(b) The akousmatikoi.
(c) The Hippasusikoi.
(d) The mathēmatikoi.

5. What was the Pythagorean cult’s most sacred symbol because it contained the golden ratio?
(a) The hexagram.
(b) The sphere.
(c) The pentagram.
(d) The diamond.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the fifth element that Aristotle proposed, in addition to earth, water, fire, and air?

2. Approximately when did Aristotle live?

3. What refers to the mean obtained by taking the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the reciprocals of a set of nonzero numbers?

4. The author notes in Chapter 2, “Nothing Comes of Nothing” that the West resisted the concept of zero for how many years?

5. What term refers to an argument that produces an inconsistency?

(see the answer key)

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