Number systems and units of measurement in India : A historical overview

The Importance of Number Systems and Units of Measurement

• Robust number systems, units of measurement, and computational mechanisms are fundamental to modern scientific discoveries.
• The binary system is crucial in the era of digital computing.
• Standard means of measurement, methods of estimation, and communication are essential for international trade.

Indian Legacy in Number Systems

• Large Numbers: Ancient Indian texts like Lalitavistara mention numbers as large as 10^421, demonstrating an early understanding of large magnitudes.
• Place Value System: The commentary on Yoga-sutra from the 1st Century CE mentions the place value of numbers.
• Decimal System: Laplace recognized India's contribution to the decimal system, which uses ten symbols with place value and absolute value.
• Zero: Al-Biruni noted that Indians did not use letters for arithmetic. A legal document from 594 CE and an inscription from 876 CE show the use of the place value format and zero.

Indian Legacy in Units of Measurement

• Standardized Units: The Indus-Saraswati civilization used standardized units for street widths, such as Dhanusha and Garhapatya Dhanusha.
• Brick Ratios: Excavations at Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, and Lothal revealed standardized fired bricks with length, width, and depth ratios of 4:2:1.
• Arthashastra: This ancient text mentions two types of Dhanush as units for measuring roads and distances.

Conclusion

India has a rich legacy in the development of number systems and units of measurement, with evidence of sophisticated systems in place as early as the Indus-Saraswati civilization. These contributions have had a profound impact on mathematics, science, and trade, and continue to be relevant in the modern world.