From: Marca

Hello,

I'm researching the Mayans, and my advisor, Dr. McDonald, stated that you may know whether the Mayans knew how to multiply. I'm finding conflicting information on the internet, and anything you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi Marca.

Unfortunately, the Spanish conquerors destroyed almost all Mayan documents. Although there exists ample evidence that the Mayans knew how to calculate, there is no record of the actual calculations. This comes from the History of Mathematics by Victor J. Katz, in 1998. On pages 333 - 334 he provides what scholars believe to be a method that they might have used.

Chris Fisher