The Incan Empire and Knotty Math

Dr. Cynthia Huffman
Department of Mathematics
Pittsburg State University

Abstract

Although relatively short-lived, the Incan Empire was the largest pre-Columbian empire in the Americas.  Through pictures taken by the speaker on a recent study trip to Peru, we'll briefly overview the history of the Incan Empire before delving into more details of their unique writing/accounting system of knotted cords called quipus or khipus.