BRAHMAGUPTA: THE GREAT INDIAN MATHEMATICIAN AND ASTRONOMER

 

BRAHMAGUPTA: THE GREAT INDIAN MATHEMATICIAN AND ASTRONOMER

 

Who was Brahmagupta?

Brahmagupta ( 597- 668AD) was one such genius Astronomer - Mathematician. His father Jisnugupta was an Astrologer in the city of Bhinmal ( Rajasthan). Brahmagupta too considered himself an Astronomer however today he is remembered for his huge contributions to the field of Mathematics.

He made pivotal contributions to arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and the study of quadratic indeterminate equations and was the first to give rules to compute with zero. 

 

Contributions to Mathematics

Brahmagupta’s work the ‘Brahmasphutasiddhanta’ contained many mathematical findings written in verse form. It had many rules of arithmetic which is part of the mathematical solutions now. The book also consisted of many geometrical theories like the ‘Pythagorean Theorem’ for a right angle triangle. He produced a formula to find the area of any four-sided shape whose corners touch the inside of a circle. This actually simplifies to Heron’s formula for triangles. Brahmagupta was the one to give the area of a triangle and the important rules of trigonometry such as values of the sin function. He introduced the formula for cyclic quadrilaterals. Also, he wrote that pi, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, could usually be taken to be 3, but if accuracy were needed, then the square-root of 10 (this equals 3.162…) should be used. This is about 0.66 percent higher than the true value of pi. He gave the solution of the general linear equation in chapter eighteen of Brahmasphutasiddhanta.

Brahmagupta established rules for working with positive and negative numbers, such as:

·       Adding two negative numbers together always results in a negative number.

·       Subtracting a negative number from a positive number is the same as adding the two numbers.

·       Multiplying two negative numbers together is the same as multiplying two positive numbers.

·   Dividing a positive number by a negative, or a negative number by a positive, results in a negative number.

 

Geometry

Brahmagupta Formula

He was the first person to discover the formula for solving quadratic equations. Brahmagupta found the formula for cyclic quadrilaterals though he did not focus on the cyclic character of the figure. Given the lengths of the sides of any cyclic quadrilateral, Brahmagupta gave an approximate and an exact formula for the figure's area.

 Arithmetic

 Zero

Brahmagupta's Brahmasphuṭasiddhanta is the first book that provides rules for arithmetic manipulations that apply to zero.

·       He was the first person in history to define the properties of the number zero. Identifying zero as a number whose properties needed to be defined was vital for the future of mathematics and science.

·       He defined zero as the number you get when you subtract a number from itself.

·       He said that zero divided by any other number is zero.

 

Application of Algebra in Business

Algebra is the part of mathematics in which letters and other general symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formula and equations. As an entrepreneur, one can use algebra to conduct market research and validate business or product idea. Once business is up and running, one may use linear equations and other algebraic operations to forecast sales, determine the profit or loss from a stock sale and do taxes.

For example, it can help estimate the lifetime value of a customer or how much that customer will spend. One may also use algebraic operations to predict sales, determine pricing options, etc.

Application of Arithmetic in Business

It is the branch of mathematics dealing with the properties and manipulation of numbers. Arithmetic is part of the everyday life of a business owner. One will need to be able to add, divide, subtract and multiply numbers to calculate earnings, provide clients with estimates and pay employees. Basic arithmetic skills will also help to complete taxes, particularly if one is eligible for numerous deductions and credits. Arithmetic will also help to calculate expenses, determine interest payments and balance business's budget.

 Application of Geometry in Business

It is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties and relations of points, lines, surfaces, solids, and higher dimensional analogues. Geometry is a must for business owners in creative professions such as interior design, construction, art and architecture. One will need to calculate the square footage of a room, the volume and perimeter of artistic projects and the quantity of supplies such as paint one will need.

Brahmagupta was one of the greatest mathematicians in Indian history and his contributions to mathematics have made major differences to various mathematical problems by establishing the basic rules which now allow us to find their solutions. He was honored by the title ‘The gem of the circle of mathematicians’. Also, if we will look through these mathematical concepts, we will understand their importance in business and their applications.