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earlier ones.
Indian astronomy ultimately exercised greater influence on the development of modern Western astronomy, than on Greek or Babylinian system, because of the influence of arabic astronomical works on western scholars. Of special importance in Arabic astronomy was the Khandakhadyaka of Brahmagupta, written in 665 AD, and it known to the Arabs as the Al Arkand. Paramenters from this work and Indian planetary theories found their way, through Arabic scholars, in particular through Al-Khwarizmi, into Western European astronomy. The use of the zero meridian of "Arien" (Ujjain) is the most glaring example of this influence.
4. Brief history of Ancient Indian Mathematics -
(i)Sulva Sūtras: There are seven Sulva Sūtras known by the name of Bodhiyana, Āpastambh, Katyayana, Mänava, Maitrāyaṇa, Väräha and Vishuta. They belong to the period 800 BC to 500 BC. They explain a large number of simple geometrical constructions imparting knowledge of the following theorems: (a) The diagonals of the rectangle divide it into two equal parts.
(b) The diagonal of rectangle bisect each other.
(c) The perpendicular, drawn from the vertex of an isosceles triangle to its base, bisects it.
(d) A rectangle and a parallelogram on the same base and between the same parallels are equal in area
(e) The diagonal of a thombus bisect each other at right angles
(f) properties of similar rectilinear figures
(g) The theorem known in the name of Pythagoras i.e. Pythagoras theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of squares of base and perpendicular. Irrational numbers were first used here and the approximation to √2 was given. Problem in the construction of alters which required the solution of simultaneous linear equations in integers were solved and illustreated.
(ii) Jaina Mathematics belongs to the period from about 500 BC to 100 BC. It gives elementary formulae for mensuation, approximate values of square roots (eg V10 Correct to 13 places of decimals), approximation of √10, some concepts of infinity, laws of indices and the formulae for permutations and combination. (iii) The Bakṣālī manuscript, found at the village Bakṣālī near Peshawar in 1081 AD, is believed to belong to the fourth century AD. It contains problems on fractions (method of false position), arithmetic and geomertic progressions, solution of indeterminate equations, approximation to surds, solution of quadratic equations and simultaneous linear eauations.
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