While paying a tribute to India's great mathematician Aryabhat, the following has been written by me in a light vein:-
Ancient Romans used pillars for doing their counting.
A similar practice used to be followed in India too in those times. The alternative was to draw pillars with a piece of charcoal on a wall or on the ground.
Aryabhat, to write ten, firstly drew I I I I I I I I I I.
Then, to simplify, he demolished nine of these .. I I I I I I I I I, and put a 0 in their place.
So, I I I I I I I I I = 0, or Zero = 9 !!!
Simple, isn't it?
In case of any doubt, let us draw 100 pillars, remove 99 of them, and put two 0s in their place. What you get is 100 !
So, each Zero = 9 !
Enjoy it, and search for a counter-argument !
Surendra Kumar
Ancient Romans used pillars for doing their counting.
A similar practice used to be followed in India too in those times. The alternative was to draw pillars with a piece of charcoal on a wall or on the ground.
Aryabhat, to write ten, firstly drew I I I I I I I I I I.
Then, to simplify, he demolished nine of these .. I I I I I I I I I, and put a 0 in their place.
So, I I I I I I I I I = 0, or Zero = 9 !!!
Simple, isn't it?
In case of any doubt, let us draw 100 pillars, remove 99 of them, and put two 0s in their place. What you get is 100 !
So, each Zero = 9 !
Enjoy it, and search for a counter-argument !
Surendra Kumar
