Question

Which seventh century Indian mathematician was the first in the world to treat ‘zero’ as a number and show its mathematical operations?

• A. Aryabhatta
• B. Medhatithi
• C. Brahmagupta
• D. Bhaskaracharya
• E. Panini

Hint:

Remember: Aryabhatta introduced concepts in place value, but Brahmagupta formalized zero’s role in arithmetic operations.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall the contribution of Brahmagupta.
Brahmagupta, a 7th-century Indian mathematician (598–668 C(E), in his work “Brahmasphutasiddhanta” defined zero as a number and described rules for operations on zero, such as addition and subtraction.
Step 2: Analyze options.
- Aryabhatta (476 C(E) contributed to place-value system and approximation of $\pi$, but did not fully formalize zero operations.
- Medhatithi was a commentator, not a mathematician.
- Bhaskaracharya (12th century) came later, built upon Brahmagupta’s work.
- Panini was a grammarian.
\[ \boxed{C \text{ Brahmagupta}} \]