Arabs refer to 'Arabic Numerals' as 'Hindi'. Also Arabic writing is from right to left but they write numbers in the 'usual' way - from right to left. Europeans came to know about about the decimal number system from Arabs and named the numerals as 'Arabic'. BTW, in grade 8 we studied a plane geometry problem named after Leelavati (probably she was Bhaskarachya's daugter - and one of of the treatises on mathematical problems by the Acharya was also named after her). The solution required application of Pythagorian theorem. As a kid I learnt that yojana (jojon in Bangla) is a measure of distance equal to 8 miles. However I find that it had different measures (5-9 miles) during different periods. During Aryabhatta's time it was equal to 5 miles. Arabs had taken many concepts/discoveries from India and China to Europe.
--- On Thu, 8/9/12, Sudhir-Architect <ar_sudhirkumar@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Sudhir-Architect <ar_sudhirkumar@yahoo.com>
Subject: [mukto-mona] The Story of Indian Numerals [Aryabhatta] Good One
To:
Received: Thursday, August 9, 2012, 2:10 PM
The Story of Numbers (0 and 1) Indian Numerals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gulApUKih2w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRpG6SKnRYA&feature=relmfu
The Zero, decimal system, Indian numerals, astronomy, astrology, trigonometry, ayurveda, chemistry, everything even dream-analysis are some of the numerous contributions of scholars from India.
Unfortunately, the bias has always been against giving no credit whatsoever to the Indian mind. For instance, in Indian school it is taught that the numerals we use are "Arabic Numerals". Why?
Why the shameless lying instead of giving credit where it is due for monumental discoveries?
The story of numbers is the story of civilization. Terry Jones ("Monty Python's Flying Circus") goes on a humor-filled journey to recount the amazing tale behind Indian numerals.
Interesting Facts:
* Baudhayana gave the 'Pythagoras theorem' centuries before the Greeks in 800 BC.
* Pingala (400 BC) invented the binary number system which is the basic of computer operations.
* Indian astronomer, Aryabhatta was the first to have propounded the theory that the earth was a sphere in the 5th century.
* Indian astronomer, Brahmagupta, estimated in the 7th century that the circumference of the earth was 5000 yojanas. A yojana is around 7.2 kms.
Calculating on this basis we see that the estimate of 36,000 kms as the earth's circumference comes quite close to the actual circumference known today.Thanks & Regards,
Sudhir Srinivasan
B.Arch, MSc.CPM, Dip.ID, Dip.CAD, Dip.PM
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