Learn maths like an Egyptian: the secrets of the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus

At the heart of ancient Egypt's busy system of organising people and resources were the scribes – some of the few people who could read and write. In fact, only about one percent of the population had those skills. Scribes were specially trained in both writing and maths, and their work was extremely important. 

Every day, scribes used their number skills to help manage the country's supplies. One of the main jobs was figuring out rations – portions of food or goods given to workers and households as a kind of payment. These rations were not the same for everyone; they depended on your job and rank. That meant scribes had to be really good at arithmetic and also understand how to divide things up fairly using rations and proportions. 

Thanks to their sharp thinking and careful calculations, scribes helped keep everything – from temples to work crews – running smoothly. 

Most of what we know about ancient Egyptian maths comes from old texts written on papyrus – an early form of paper made from plant stems. These documents are like windows into the past, showing us how Egyptians learned and used maths in real life. 

In a piece called Papyrus Anastasi V, a father gives advice to his son about school. He explains how important it is to stay focused in class, especially during maths lessons. In the text, the instructor says 'you make calculations while you are being quiet.' 

The message is clear: learning maths was taken seriously. It shows us that, just like today, ancient Egyptian students were expected to concentrate, listen carefully and work hard – especially when it came to numbers.

The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus 

One of the most exciting discoveries about ancient Egyptian maths is the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus – a scroll over five metres long and filled with more than 80 maths problems. It was copied by a scribe named Ahmose around 1500 BC, though the original version was even older. 

Today, pieces of it are kept in both the British Museum and the Brooklyn Museum in New York. This papyrus gives us a close look at how Egyptian students and scribes learned maths and solved real-world problems. 

The title of the papyrus is pretty epic. It says it's 'the method of calculating, for understanding and knowing everything that exists, obscurities and all secrets' – which shows how much the Egyptians believed maths could help explain the world. 

The problems fall into two main types. Some are practical, like figuring out how much grain fits into a storage facility, how to divide bread and beer fairly or how to measure space for building. Others are more abstract – like solving equations, working with fractions or calculating areas. 

Problem 56 

One of the coolest maths problems in the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus – Problem 56 – shows how the ancient Egyptians used geometry to design pyramids. The problem teaches how to figure out the seked, the slope or angle of a pyramid's sides. 

First, the unit of measurement – the royal cubit (about 52cm) – is explained. Then, the instructions show how to calculate the pyramid's slope using a simple formula based on the height and base length. The student is even asked to try it out by calculating the slope of a specific pyramid. 

While it's not the same as the trigonometry we use today, it shows that Egyptian scribes had a strong understanding of ratios, measurements and how to apply maths to real-world structures – like those massive pyramids still standing today. 

Problem 48 

Problem 48 is a great example of how the ancient Egyptians explored geometry in clever and practical ways. In this problem, the goal is to compare the area of a circle with the area of a square that fits perfectly around it – meaning both shapes have the same width or diameter.  

The Egyptians didn't have the number π (pi) like we do today, but their method for solving this problem shows they had a smart way of estimating it. By comparing the two areas, they came up with a close-enough value that worked well for their everyday calculations.  

Even though they didn't think about π as an abstract number, this problem shows how Egyptian scribes had a strong, hands-on understanding of shapes, sizes and how to measure them – perfect for solving real-world problems with practical geometry. 

Problem 30 

Not all the problems in the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus are about shapes and measurements – some are about sharing things fairly, just like in real-life situations. 

Take Problem 30, for example. It's a clever challenge where 100 loaves of bread need to be divided between two groups of workers. But here's the twist: the groups aren't equal. Four men are supposed to get half the bread, and six men get the other half. So how much should each person get? To solve it, the scribe sets up a simple equation to figure out the right amount for each man, taking into account the different sized groups.  

Problem 79 

One of the most fascinating and complex problems is Problem 79 – and it might remind you of a maths riddle or a puzzle. 

It goes like this: There are seven houses, and in each house are seven cats. Each cat catches seven mice, and each mouse would otherwise have eaten seven ears of grain. But each ear of grain could produce seven heqats (an old Egyptian measurement) of actual grain. The challenge? Figure out the total amount of grain saved using all this information – step by step.  

The problem leads students through a growing pattern, which we now call a geometric progression. The ancient Egyptians didn't use that term, but they clearly understood how multiplying numbers in a pattern could help solve big, structured problems. 

And this wasn't just a maths trick – it had a real-world meaning. The story reflects the idea of protecting valuable grain: the cats stop the mice from eating it, helping to preserve food for the community. 

Maths in ancient Egypt wasn't just something learned in school – it was a vital part of everyday life and how the whole country ran. From building massive pyramids to dividing bread, measuring land and keeping track of supplies, maths helped organise work, manage resources and keep things running smoothly. 

Scribes – specially trained in reading, writing and calculating – were at the heart of this system. As early as 3000 BC (more than 5,000 years ago), we see signs of maths being used for recordkeeping, and by the time of the Old Kingdom (about 2600–2100 BC), the Egyptians had even standardised measurements to help manage people and wealth more efficiently. 

By the Middle Kingdom (about 2000–1600 BC), maths was probably being formally taught in scribal schools using documents like the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus. These texts didn't just give answers – they showed how to work through problems step by step, often with diagrams and examples.  

Even though Egyptian maths was practical, not abstract like modern maths, it still showed real skill and creativity. Scribes solved complex problems, worked with geometry and used logic to figure out unknowns.  

In short, maths helped build ancient Egypt – literally and socially. It was a powerful tool that supported farming, construction, trade and government, and it played a key role in the success of one of history's greatest civilisations. 

With topics ranging from the secrets of the Rosetta Stone to the mysteries of mummies, our ancient Egypt Key Stage 2 schools page has resources for teachers and students to use both on visits to the Museum and in the classroom.