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http://www.indianexpress.com/
http://www.indianexpress.com/
Indians got maths right 250 yrs before Newton: study
Press Trust of India
Posted online: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST
London, August 13
A little-known school of scholars in south India discovered one of the
founding principles of modern mathematics hundreds of years before Sir
Isaac Newton, to whom the finding is currently attributed, according
to a new research here.
A little-known school of scholars in south India discovered one of the
founding principles of modern mathematics hundreds of years before Sir
Isaac Newton, to whom the finding is currently attributed, according
to a new research here.
Dr George Gheverghese Joseph from The University of Manchester says
the 'Kerala School' identified the 'infinite series' -- one of the
basic components of calculus -- in about 1350.
the 'Kerala School' identified the 'infinite series' -- one of the
basic components of calculus -- in about 1350.
The discovery is currently attributed in books to Sir Isaac Newton and
Gottfried Leibnitz at the end of the 17th centuries, the University of
Manchester reported in its website today.
Gottfried Leibnitz at the end of the 17th centuries, the University of
Manchester reported in its website today.
The team from the Universities of Manchester and Exeter reveal the
Kerala School also discovered what amounted to the Pi series and used
it to calculate Pi correct to 9, 10 and later 17 decimal places.
Kerala School also discovered what amounted to the Pi series and used
it to calculate Pi correct to 9, 10 and later 17 decimal places.
And there is strong circumstantial evidence that the Indians passed on
their discoveries to mathematically knowledgeable Jesuit missionaries
who visited India during the 15th century.
their discoveries to mathematically knowledgeable Jesuit missionaries
who visited India during the 15th century.
That knowledge, the researchers argue, may have eventually been passed
on to Newton himself. The research was carried out by Dr George
Gheverghese Joseph, Hony Reader, School of Education at The University
of Manchester and Dennis Almeida, Teaching Fellow at the School of
Education at Exeter University. Joseph made the revelations while
trawling through obscure Indian papers for a yet to be published third
edition of his best selling book The Crest of the Peacock: the
Non-European Roots of Mathematics, the report said.
on to Newton himself. The research was carried out by Dr George
Gheverghese Joseph, Hony Reader, School of Education at The University
of Manchester and Dennis Almeida, Teaching Fellow at the School of
Education at Exeter University. Joseph made the revelations while
trawling through obscure Indian papers for a yet to be published third
edition of his best selling book The Crest of the Peacock: the
Non-European Roots of Mathematics, the report said.
"The beginnings of modern maths is usually seen as a European
achievement but the discoveries in medieval India between the 14th and
16th centuries have been ignored," Joseph said.
achievement but the discoveries in medieval India between the 14th and
16th centuries have been ignored," Joseph said.
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