Contents
Brahmagupta
Setting out influential rules for zero, negative numbers and algebra.
Brahmasphutasiddhanta · Cyclic quadrilaterals
- Born
- c. 598
- Birthplace
- Bhinmal, India
- Died
- c. 668
More people
Brahmagupta
Brahmagupta was an Indian mathematician and astronomer whose seventh-century texts influenced later calculation traditions.
Early life
Origins
Was associated with Bhillamala, now Bhinmal in Rajasthan.
Limited biography
Much of what is known about him comes from his writings and later commentaries.
Career
- 7th century
Scholarship
Worked within Indian mathematical astronomy.
- 628
Major treatise
Composed the Brahmasphutasiddhanta.
- 665
Practical astronomy
Produced the Khandakhadyaka.
Contributions
Brahmasphutasiddhanta
Combined astronomical models with mathematical rules.
Cyclic quadrilaterals
Gave a formula for the area of a quadrilateral inscribed in a circle.
Khandakhadyaka
Presented practical methods for astronomical calculation.
Historical context
Transmission
His work influenced scholars writing in Arabic and later mathematical traditions.
Historical limits
His treatment of division by zero did not match modern mathematics.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Pur 0 0. CC0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
