Quipus Incas: A arte de contar e registrar em nós

Abstract

This research investigated Inca quipus as a mathematical and historical system, highlighting their functions and meanings. It sought to understand their contribution to mathematical knowledge, as well as their impact on management and communication within the Inca Empire. The guiding question of this study is: how can Inca quipus be understood as a significant mathematical and historical system, considering their function as numerical records? The general objective is to analyze the contribution of Inca quipus to mathematical knowledge and to understand their role in Inca administration and communication. As specific objectives, this study proposes to analyze the physical and mathematical structure of Inca quipus and to relate them to the teaching of mathematical concepts. This work is also relevant to Education, as it enables the incorporation of interdisciplinary approaches that connect history, mathematics, and culture. The analysis of Inca quipus can serve as a starting point to discuss how different cultures develop strategies for recording and organizing information, fostering a broader understanding of mathematics as a universal language. The research adopts a bibliographic methodology with a qualitative approach. The study reinforces the importance of recognizing and valuing the cultural and scientific diversity present in human history. Thus, investigating Inca quipus is essential to value the knowledge produced by other civilizations and to challenge Eurocentric perspectives that often guide historical and mathematical studies. In this sense, Inca quipus constitute a clear example that non-alphabetic recording systems can be highly complex and efficient