BLOG.NO.67 Every student in every classroom across the world knows that if they get a zero on their maths homework or on a maths exam that they are in big trouble. The Zero, in this case, is synonymous with failure as they were unable to solve problems correctly out of all of the questions that were asked.
But the zero is used in many more places than just the classroom grading system, it is part of our whole society. Prices of things in shops, license plates, numbers to call, numbers in your bank account when you are broke. But all fun aside zero is a significant number that has the meaning of nothing but to us really means everything since it is perhaps the most used number in the math curriculum.
But when reading the number zero not many people think about its history or about the mathematician who introduced the number to modern mathematics. To become fluent in the language of mathematics you have to delve deeper than the surface. Math concepts like algebra, geometry, complex numbers, Pythagorean theorem, Linear equations, probability, Pi, special number Euler’s e, trigonometry (trig.), Equivalent fractions, the special number i, the golden ratio, and must be part of your math learning in your grade level math education. Let’s start by taking a closer look at the number 0.
1. The ancient Greeks believed that existence began with 1, and anything less than one to be impossible to write due to the fact that it didn’t exist. So the Ancient Greeks had no writing system including zero in their numeral system.
2. The Babylonians began using zero to distinguish the void between numbers. So instead of writing 3 5, they added the zero in the middle making 305.
3. The Mayans used zero between numbers, to express durations and to mark the dates of the calendar.
4. The Indians used zero as if it were any other number and it is from India that the concept of zero was introduced although it took time to be accepted.
5. The Arabians adopted the number calling it Sifr and take it to mean emptiness and also infinity.
6. The Italians introduced it in Europe by translating it into Latin as Zephirum.
Mathematics is full of discoveries as found by scholars or mathematicians throughout history. All of these discoveries have allowed us to progress with arithmetic algebra calculus and to develop a theorem to empower new ideas.
In the 5th century zero emerged as a number in its own right. Hindus from India invented zero to represent the idea of the power of the cosmos and universe as they expand into infinity. They called this the sunya which means empty in Sanskrit.
The book Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta was published in c. 628 by Brahmagupta which defines zero as the subtraction of a number by itself, e.g. 5-5 =0. Here is where the journey of zero begins, in India as a concept of nothingness.
In the 7th century with the expansion of the Arab culture in the Muslim world. Zero is adopted from the Hindus as a representation of emptiness and infinity. They use the word sifr which means zero in Arabic.
In the 12th century, the zero pops up in Europe and along with that so does Arabic mathematics. But the Catholic church is reluctant and suspicious of the idea of being able to physically write or describe something that means the void, null or the infinite.
In 1200, Leonardo Fibonacci, an Italian mathematician, adopts the Arabic word sifr and translates it into Latin. “zephirum”, gradually becomes “zephiro”, “zeuero”, “cero” (Spanish) and finally, “zero” (Italian) and “zero” in English.
Here are other meanings attributed to zero:
1. Renewal or a new beginning, to “start from scratch” and to “reset.”
2. Security is inferred by it’s round and closed shape,
3. The idea of fertility, femininity and the fetus can be found in the circle
4. Perfection in its shape as each edge is linked to its centre.
5. The cycle and regeneration, as the outer edge of zero, leads back to itself. so *ZERO is not failure *
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