Bhaskaracharya
Also called: Bhaskara II · Topic: Early Medieval North India: Harsha to the Rajputs · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 4 "Turning Tides: The 11th and 12th Centuries"
Meaning
Bhaskaracharya, also called Bhaskara II, was a great mathematician and astronomer. He was born in 1114, probably in Maharashtra. He wrote the Lilavati (arithmetic), the Bijaganita (algebra) and the Siddhantashiromani (astronomy). These are often treated as parts of one large work. His books were translated into Persian under the Mughals. Europe found some of his methods only centuries later.
Example
In the Lilavati, Bhaskaracharya teaches arithmetic and geometry through verse riddles. The Bijaganita deals with equations and the rules for working with zero and negative numbers.
Don't confuse with
- Bhaskara I: a 7th-century mathematician known for early work in trigonometry and a commentary on the Aryabhatiya. Bhaskara II lived about five centuries later.