Arithmologia

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/arithmologia

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who wrote Arithmologia?Athanasius Kircher, a prominent Jesuit scholar and polymath
2. What is the publication date?1665
3. What is the subject matter?The symbolic, mystical, and esoteric meanings attributed to numbers
4. Why did Kircher write about numbers?Kircher believed numbers were a secret language that could help us understand the universe, the divine, and the human soul.
5. Who was Arithmologia dedicated to?The book was dedicated to Franz III. Nádasdy, a Catholic convert and friend of Kircher.

Esoteric: Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.
Polymath: An individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, demonstrated by the completion of significant work in several distinct fields.
Numerology: The study of the mystical or divine relationship between numbers and events or objects.
Baroque Era: A period of highly ornate and often extravagant artistic style that flourished in Europe from the early 17th until the mid-18th century.