The concept of "father of zero" is complex, as the idea evolved over time. However, Brahmagupta is often credited with first defining zero as a number and describing its properties.
While the digit "0" was used as a placeholder earlier (attributed to Aryabhata), Brahmagupta, in his Brahmasphutasiddhanta (628 CE), explicitly treated zero as a number and outlined rules for arithmetic operations involving zero, including addition, subtraction, and multiplication. This was a crucial step in the formalization of the number zero.
Here's a breakdown of the key figures involved:
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Aryabhata: Used zero as a placeholder in his number system. This was a significant precursor, but not a full definition of zero as a number.
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Brahmagupta: Developed rules for using zero in arithmetic operations. This is considered the foundation of zero as we understand it today.
Therefore, although Aryabhata contributed to the concept of zero, Brahmagupta is more accurately described as the mathematician who formalized zero and laid the groundwork for its use as a number within mathematical systems.
