| Interesting Math History |
|
|
| Question : |
|
Where did the concept of Zero originate ? |
Answer : |
|
The concept of Zero is attributed to the Hindus. The Hindus
were also the first to use zero in the way it is used today.
Some symbol was required in positional number systems to mark
the place of a power of the base not actually occurring. This
was indicated by the Hindus by a small circle, which was called
Shunya, the Sanskrit word for vacant. This was translated into
the Arabic Sifr about 800 A.D. Subsequent changes have given
us the word zero. |
In Babylone by middle of the 2nd millenium BC, the lack of a positional value (or zero) was indicated by a space between
sexagesimal numerals.
In 498 AD the Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhatta
stated that Sthanam sthanam dasha gunam means place to place
in ten times in value, which may be the origin of the modern
decimal-based place value notation. Arabs spread the Hindu decimal
zero and its new mathematics to Europe in the Middle Ages. |
|
