Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c5.s6.23

c5.s6.23

The Brāhmī numeral system consisted of separate signs for one and four to nine, two and three were denoted by repetitions of the symbols for one. It had also separate symbols for ten and its multiples as well as four hundreds upto seventy thousands. The plan was indeed nearly the same, as those of the Demotic, Hieratic and the Chinese. The symbols were written from left to right beginning with symbols of higher values. For example, 274 was written with the help of the symbols for 200, 70 and 4. The Nānāghāt and the Nāsik cave inscriptions amongst few other inscriptions namely Kuṣāṇa (150 A.D.), Kṣatrapa (200 A.D.) and Gupta (c. 300-450 A.D.) are noteworthy. Both these types (vide Table) bear a close relation and resemble each other. According to many foreign scholars, both Nānāghāt (150 B.C.) and the Nāsik (100 A.D.) types of numerals form the basis of our third or the modern numeral system.