The ancients appear to have been fascinated by such order, not to mention triangular shapes. Pyramids were built, not only by the ancient Egyptians, but also by the Aztecs and other early cultures. It is even possible that the tablet was used to calculate how to construct many different types of structures, from palaces and temples to canals.
Babylon was a key kingdom within Mesopotamia, an ancient cultural region corresponding to modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
“The ancient Mesopotamians built largely out of clay and mud, so their structures didn’t last that long,” Wildberger said, adding that there were a few exceptions, “the most notable being the Ziggurat of Ur, which is still around — it was restored by later kings and also by Saddam Hussein — and dates from before the old Babylonian period.”
Plimpton 322’s usefulness may not end with such applications, though. The researchers believe that its information has possible practical uses in surveying, computer graphics, and education.
As Mansfield said, the tablet presents a much simpler way of doing computational trigonometry. “It does not involve complex concepts, such as angles or irrational numbers, so it’s much easier to work with,” he said.