e had copied it from ancient writings. Theses ancient writings may have been from 2000 BC or farther. It is a collection of exercises in rhetorical form, designed primarily for students of mathematics. Included are fractions, notation, arithmetic, algebra, geometry and measurement. It claims to be a "thorough study of all things, insight into all that exists, knowledge of all obscure secrets"(Fauvel 20)
             The Moscow Papyrus contains only 25, mostly practical examples. The author is unknown. V.S. Golenishchev purchased it in 1947 and sold to the Moscow Museum of Fine Art. It is 15ft long and 3in wide. Believed to have originated in 1700 BC. Contains simple equations and solutions. One of these equations is of exceptional interest in that it contains the formula for the volume of a truncated pyramid.
             Among the secondary sources are three papyri from 1800 BC: the Berlin Papyrus contains, among other things, two problems in simultaneous equations, one of which is second degree; the Reisner Papyri consist of four fragments
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