Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta and the mathematics of Zero

Vicky
2 min readJul 4, 2021

Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta by Brahmagupta is the first available text that discusses the mathematics of zero.

The following is a verse, that have been taken from the chapter XVIII on algebra

-The sum of positive and negative, if they are equal, is zero.

-The sum of a negative and zero is negative, of a positive and zero is positive and of two zeros, zero.

-Negative subtracted from zero is positive, and positive from zero is negative. Zero subtracted from negative is negative, from positive is positive,and from zero is zero.

-The product of zero and a negative, of zero and a positive,or of two zeroes is zero

-A zero divided by zero is zero

-A positive or a negative divided by zero is that with zero-denominator.

Most of the rules hold true except for the rules for division by zero, these are notable as the earliest attempt to define division by zero.

Reference: Algebra, with Arithmetic and mensuration, H.T. Colebrooke

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