Ancient Indian Mathematics

Ancient Indian Mathematics

The ancient Indians created advanced mathematics such as geometry, algebra, and calculus (Divakaran 418-419). Indians began developing mathematics in the Indus River Valley around 1200 BCE. Early advancements in mathematics happened along the Indus and Ganges rivers. In ancient India, mathematics were central parts of their infrastructure, religion, and crafts (Meister 266). Mathematicians such as Brahmagupta and Pingala made contributions to the development of advanced mathematics in the ancient Indian civilization (Ramakalyani 132). The ancient Indians used early versions of debt and assets throughout their civilization (Mattessich 129, 131). Mathematics was essential to the lives of the ancient Indian people.

Impact of Mathematics on the Indian Civilization

Within the ancient Indian civilization, they used their knowledge of mathematics to create planned cities, central citadels, and city-wide plumbing. The use of geometry was essential to the construction of the temples and city layouts within ancient India (Meister 266). Geometry was employed in the development of planned cities along the Indus River Valley in cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Brahmagupta was a mathematician who worked in the fields of geometry and astronomy (Aliprandi 1). Within the cities, city-wide plumbing was an important part of their culture, and it would not have been possible to create these plumbing systems without advanced mathematics. Also, Indians used their knowledge of geometry to design grids that they used in their temples (Meister 266). The ancient Indians had an advanced concept of debt and assets, as well as a system of credit, which allowed them to create a concept of a positive and negative number system. The Indian people’s logic allowed them to develop early concepts of zero, which was linked to the number system they created (Logan 16, 18). Mathematics had a major impact on the ancient Indian civilization.

Impact of Mathematics on Later Civilizations

Concepts of calculus, geometry, and algebra developed in ancient India have been changed and improved and become integral parts of modern mathematics. The ancient Indians’ concepts of debt, assets, and credit have had an impact on modern economics, and we now use credit cards and a system of debt (Mattessich 130-132). The Indians' concept of zero was essential to the modern number system (Logan 16). Mathematics is a central part of our world, and the concepts developed in ancient India have been improved up to today.