The Hindu-Arabic Numerals c5.6

c5.6

² Maximus Planudes (c. 1330) states that “the nine symbols come from the Indians.” [Wäschke’s German translation, Halle, 1878, p. 3.] Willichius speaks of the “Zyphræ Indicæ,” in his *Arithmeticæ libri tres* (Strasburg, 1540, p. 93), and Cataneo of “le noue figure de gli Indi,” in his *Le pratiche delle dve prime mathematiche* (Venice, 1546, fol. 1). Woepcke is not correct, therefore, in saying (“Mémoire sur la propagation des chiffres indiens,” hereafter referred to as *Propagation* [*Journal Asiatique*, Vol. I (6), 1863, p. 34]) that Wallis (*A Treatise on Algebra, both historical and practical*, London, 1685, p. 13, and *De algebra tractatus*, Latin edition in his *Opera omnia*, 1693, Vol. II, p. 10) was one of the first to give the Hindu origin.