Ancient Indian Mathematics

India has a rich history of mathematics, with contributions spanning thousands of years. Ancient Indian mathematicians made significant discoveries in the fields of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, laying the foundations for modern mathematics.


Source -
https://www.indica.today/

One of the earliest known texts on mathematics in India is the Sulba Sutras, which date back to the 8th century BCE. These texts describe geometric principles used in the construction of altars for Vedic rituals, and contain formulas for calculating the area and circumference of circles and the square roots of numbers.

In the 5th century BCE, the mathematician Pingala wrote the Chhandahshastra, which is considered to be the first known work on binary numbers. Pingala's system of binary numbers is similar to the modern binary system used in computing, and was used to represent Vedic hymns as sequences of long and short syllables.

In the 3rd century BCE, the mathematician Aryabhata wrote the Aryabhatiya, a treatise on mathematics and astronomy that made significant contributions to the fields of algebra, trigonometry, and spherical geometry. Aryabhata developed the concept of zero as a number, and also introduced the sine, cosine, and inverse sine functions.

Another influential mathematician from ancient India was Brahmagupta, who lived in the 7th century CE. Brahmagupta wrote the Brahmasphutasiddhanta, a treatise on astronomy and mathematics that included formulas for solving quadratic equations, as well as the first known use of negative numbers in mathematical calculations.

In the 12th century, the mathematician Bhaskara wrote the Siddhanta Shiromani, which contained essential contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry. Bhaskara developed a method for solving indeterminate equations, and also gave a formula for calculating the sine of an angle using the cosine.

The Kerala School of Mathematics, which flourished in southern India between the 14th and 16th centuries, made significant contributions to the field of calculus. The mathematician Madhava is credited with the discovery of the power series, which was used to calculate the value of pi to an accuracy of 11 decimal places.

In addition to these specific contributions, ancient Indian mathematicians also developed several mathematical concepts and notation systems that are still used today. For example, the decimal system, which uses the digits 0-9 and place value to represent numbers, was developed in India and later spread to other parts of the world.

Post a Comment

0 Comments