It's difficult to credit one single person with "inventing" arithmetic. Arithmetic evolved over a long period, with contributions from various civilizations.
Instead of a single inventor, it's more accurate to say that different cultures contributed to the development of arithmetic as we know it today. Key contributions came from:
- Ancient Civilizations: Egyptians and Babylonians used basic arithmetic for practical purposes like trade and construction. However, their number systems were not as efficient as later systems.
- The Hindus of India: Around 700 AD, they developed a numeral system (the basis of our modern decimal system) that significantly simplified arithmetic operations. This system included the concept of zero and place value, making calculations far easier than previous methods.
- Arabs: They adopted the Hindu numeral system and further developed algebraic concepts. The term "algorithm" is derived from the name of the Persian mathematician, al-Khwarizmi.
- Leonardo Fibonacci: In 1202, he introduced the Hindu-Arabic numeral system to Europe, which eventually replaced Roman numerals and revolutionized mathematics.
Therefore, while early forms of arithmetic existed in various ancient cultures, the efficient and widely adopted system we use today is primarily rooted in the contributions of the Hindus of India, with subsequent refinement and dissemination by Arabs and Europeans.
