ca. 600
Hindu scholars invent DECIMAL REPRESENTATION, the
method of numeration we use today to represent
numbers.
ca. 640
Hindu mathematician and astronomer BRAHMAGUPTA
(ca. 598–665) introduces NEGATIVE NUMBERS and the
concept of ZERO as a number into ARITHMETIC.
641
The Library of Alexandria is burned.
ca. 775
Arabic scholars begin translating the great Greek and
Indian works into Arabic.
ca. 830
MUHAMMAD IBN M
– USS
– A AL-KHW
– ARIZM
– ı (ca. 780–850)
writes two influential texts founding the field of ALGEBRA. Al-Khw
– arizm
– ı also promotes the use of the Hindu
base-10 system of ARITHMETIC.
850
Indian mathematician Mahavira writes the Ganita
Sera Samgraha (The compendium of the arithmetic),
the first Indian text devoted solely to the topic of
mathematics.
1079
Persian scholar OMAR KHAYYAM (ca. 1048–1131) calculates the length of the year to be 365.24219858156
days, correct to the sixth decimal place.
1202
Italian number theorist FIBONACCI (ca. 1170–1250)
writes Liber abaci (The book of the abacus), introducing HINDU-ARABIC NUMERALS to western Europe.
Fibonacci also discovers the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,
13, 21, 34,…
1360
French mathematician NICOLE ORESME (ca. 1323–82)
discovers that the area under a velocity curve corresponds to the distance traveled.
1482
The first printed edition of Euclid’s text THE ELEMENTS is produced in Venice, Italy. It becomes the most
translated and published textbook of all time.
1498
German scholar Johannes Widmann (1462–98) writes
Mercantile arithmetic in which the symbols “+” and
“–” appear in printed form for the first time.
1533
German scholar REGIOMONTANUS (1436–76) publishes
the first comprehensive modern treatise on the topic of
TRIGONOMETRY.
ca. 1541
Italian mathematician NICCOLÒ TARTAGLIA (ca.
1499–1557) discovers a general method for solving
CUBIC EQUATIONs. He tells his method, in confidence,
to GIROLAMO CARDANO (1501–76) and LUDOVICO
FERRARI (1522–65), who publish the details without
his consent. Ferrari discovers a method for solving
QUARTIC EQUATIONs.
1557
Welsh mathematician ROBERT RECORDE (ca. 1510–58)
introduces the symbol “=” for equality in the world’s
first algebra text printed in English.
1585
Dutch mathematician SIMON STEVIN (1548–1620)
introduces decimal notation for fractions.
1591
French mathematician FRANÇOIS VIÈTE (1540–1603)
writes In artem analyticam isagoge (Introduction to the
analytical arts), establishing the principles of modern
ALGEBRA and modern algebraic notation.
1594
Scottish mathematician JOHN NAPIER (1550–1617)
begins his work on arithmetical techniques that eventually led to the discovery of LOGARITHMs. He publishes
his work in 1614.
1609
German astronomer and mathematician JOHANNES
KEPLER (1571–1630) observes that the planets move in
elliptical orbits. Italian scientist GALILEO GALILEI
(1564–1642) improves upon the invention of the telescope and begins his own astronomical observations.
1622
British mathematician WILLIAM OUGHTRED (1574–1660)
invents the slide rule. He introduces the symbol “×” for
multiplication and the abbreviations “sin” and “cos” for
sine and cosine, respectively.
Appendix I 541
Hindu scholars invent DECIMAL REPRESENTATION, the
method of numeration we use today to represent
numbers.
ca. 640
Hindu mathematician and astronomer BRAHMAGUPTA
(ca. 598–665) introduces NEGATIVE NUMBERS and the
concept of ZERO as a number into ARITHMETIC.
641
The Library of Alexandria is burned.
ca. 775
Arabic scholars begin translating the great Greek and
Indian works into Arabic.
ca. 830
MUHAMMAD IBN M
– USS
– A AL-KHW
– ARIZM
– ı (ca. 780–850)
writes two influential texts founding the field of ALGEBRA. Al-Khw
– arizm
– ı also promotes the use of the Hindu
base-10 system of ARITHMETIC.
850
Indian mathematician Mahavira writes the Ganita
Sera Samgraha (The compendium of the arithmetic),
the first Indian text devoted solely to the topic of
mathematics.
1079
Persian scholar OMAR KHAYYAM (ca. 1048–1131) calculates the length of the year to be 365.24219858156
days, correct to the sixth decimal place.
1202
Italian number theorist FIBONACCI (ca. 1170–1250)
writes Liber abaci (The book of the abacus), introducing HINDU-ARABIC NUMERALS to western Europe.
Fibonacci also discovers the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,
13, 21, 34,…
1360
French mathematician NICOLE ORESME (ca. 1323–82)
discovers that the area under a velocity curve corresponds to the distance traveled.
1482
The first printed edition of Euclid’s text THE ELEMENTS is produced in Venice, Italy. It becomes the most
translated and published textbook of all time.
1498
German scholar Johannes Widmann (1462–98) writes
Mercantile arithmetic in which the symbols “+” and
“–” appear in printed form for the first time.
1533
German scholar REGIOMONTANUS (1436–76) publishes
the first comprehensive modern treatise on the topic of
TRIGONOMETRY.
ca. 1541
Italian mathematician NICCOLÒ TARTAGLIA (ca.
1499–1557) discovers a general method for solving
CUBIC EQUATIONs. He tells his method, in confidence,
to GIROLAMO CARDANO (1501–76) and LUDOVICO
FERRARI (1522–65), who publish the details without
his consent. Ferrari discovers a method for solving
QUARTIC EQUATIONs.
1557
Welsh mathematician ROBERT RECORDE (ca. 1510–58)
introduces the symbol “=” for equality in the world’s
first algebra text printed in English.
1585
Dutch mathematician SIMON STEVIN (1548–1620)
introduces decimal notation for fractions.
1591
French mathematician FRANÇOIS VIÈTE (1540–1603)
writes In artem analyticam isagoge (Introduction to the
analytical arts), establishing the principles of modern
ALGEBRA and modern algebraic notation.
1594
Scottish mathematician JOHN NAPIER (1550–1617)
begins his work on arithmetical techniques that eventually led to the discovery of LOGARITHMs. He publishes
his work in 1614.
1609
German astronomer and mathematician JOHANNES
KEPLER (1571–1630) observes that the planets move in
elliptical orbits. Italian scientist GALILEO GALILEI
(1564–1642) improves upon the invention of the telescope and begins his own astronomical observations.
1622
British mathematician WILLIAM OUGHTRED (1574–1660)
invents the slide rule. He introduces the symbol “×” for
multiplication and the abbreviations “sin” and “cos” for
sine and cosine, respectively.
Appendix I 541