Was Pythagorus Chinese?

 I definitely think it makes a difference to students learning if we acknowledge or don't acknowledge non-European sources of mathematics. As teachers it is our job to give a true and accurate explanation of material. I believe including and acknowledging where sources of mathematics came from, can act as a way for students to gain a greater connection to the material and it applies context to material, both of which I think will positively contribute to the students learning. As well, acknowledging all sources of mathematics, not just European, provides an opportunity for international students or students from diverse cultures to feel more connection to their cultures.

In terms of the naming of the Pythagorean Theorem, I do not think Pythagoras should be given full credit for it, especially as it is unknown if he was the one who performed the proof. As well Babylonian’s and Egyptians showed understanding of this theorem much earlier, they just were not the first to prove it. Looking at the history of Pascal’s Triangle it seems as though Pascal got credit for the concept, but many others studied ‘Pascal’s Triangle’ long before Pascal in other areas such as India, China and Italy. Thus, I'm unsure if Pascal’s name should be the only one associated with this concept. I have to wonder if naming mathematical concepts and theorems after a person is something that should be done. It seems as though theorems and concepts are named after those who are able to provide proof first, however given the geographical isolation of some mathematicians and lack of proof passed on throughout centuries, many are left behind in the recognition process.