Birth of Brahmagupta

Brahmagupta was born in 598 CE in Bhinmal. An Indian mathematician and astronomer, Brahmagupta worked at Ujjain, then a leading centre of astronomy, and in 628 composed the Brahmasphutasiddhanta. This text is notable for being among the first to give rules for working with zero and with negative numbers, treating them as numbers in their own right, and it presented methods for solving quadratic equations and a formula for the area of a cyclic quadrilateral. It also dealt with astronomical calculations such as eclipses and planetary positions. His work was translated into Arabic in the eighth century and helped carry Indian numerals and mathematical ideas to the Islamic world and later Europe. The dates given for his life are approximate.

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