Bihar, a state in eastern India, has a rich history in the development of mathematics. The state is known as the birthplace of several renowned mathematicians who made significant contributions to the field. One such mathematician is Aryabhata, who was born in Tarenaga, a town in Bihar, in 476 BC. Aryabhata is considered one of the first Indian mathematicians and astronomers belonging to the classical age. He is known for his significant contributions to mathematics, including the discovery of the digit 0 and the approximate value of pi as 3.1416.
Aryabhata completed his education at the ancient University of Nalanda, which is located near Kusumapura in Bihar. The university had an observatory on its premises, and it is believed that Aryabhata was the principal of the institute. He wrote the scholarly work Aryabhattiya at the age of 23, which is a summary of the mathematics of his time. The work is divided into four sections, with the first section describing the method of denoting big decimal numbers by alphabet. The second section comprises questions from topics of modern-day mathematics, such as number theory, geometry, trigonometry, and algebra. The remaining two sections are on astronomy.
Aryabhata’s discovery of zero enabled him to find out the exact distance between the earth and the moon. It also exposed a new feature of negative numerals. He was also the first mathematician to give what later came to be known as the Tables of Sines. The birth of trigonometry was influenced by his definitions of sine (jya), cosine (kojya), versine (utkrama-jya), and inverse sine (otkram jya).
Aryabhata’s contributions to astronomy are equally significant. He disregarded the popular belief that the earth is stationary and stated the theory that the earth is round and rotates on its axis, which causes the occurrence of day and night. He also correctly stated that the moon and other planets do not have light of their own and shine because of the reflection of the light of the sun.
The last two sections of Aryabhattiya deal with astronomy. Much before Copernicus enlightened the West with the discovery that the sun is at the center of the solar system and all the planets including Earth revolve around it, Aryabhata made this discovery by adopting the heliocentric theory. He challenged various prevalent superstitious beliefs and gave scientific explanations for many natural phenomena. He correctly stated that the moon and other planets do not have light of their own and shine because of the reflection of the light of the sun.
Another significant contribution of Bihar to mathematics is the development of the series expansions for trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, and arc tangent) by mathematicians of the Kerala school in the 15th century CE. Their work completed two centuries before the invention of calculus in Europe, provided what is now considered the first example of a power series (apart from a geometric series).
In conclusion, Bihar has played a crucial role in the development of mathematics and its contribution to the field is significant. The state has been the birthplace of several renowned mathematicians who made significant contributions to the field, including the discovery of the digit 0 and the approximate value of pi as 3.1416. The state’s ancient universities, such as Nalanda, have been centers of learning and research in mathematics and astronomy, and the contributions of Bihari mathematicians continue to be studied and appreciated today.
