Bakhshali manuscript facts for kids
The Bakhshali Manuscript is a very old math book written on birch bark. It was found in 1881 near a village called Bakhshali. This area was part of British India back then, but it's now in Pakistan.
Most of this old book is missing. Only about seventy thin pieces, or leaves, of birch bark are left. No one knows exactly how old the manuscript is. Different experts have suggested different dates for when it was written. Most experts think that the Bakhshali Manuscript is actually a copy of an even older math text.
Contents
What is the Bakhshali Manuscript?
The Bakhshali Manuscript is like an ancient textbook for math. It shows how people in the past solved different math problems. Imagine learning math from a book written on tree bark hundreds of years ago!
Where Was It Found?
The manuscript was discovered by a local farmer in 1881. He found it buried in the ground near the village of Bakhshali. This village is located in a region that was once called the North-West Frontier Province of British India. Today, this area is part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in modern-day Pakistan.
What's Inside the Manuscript?
The Bakhshali Manuscript contains many interesting math problems and solutions. It covers topics like arithmetic (adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing), algebra (using letters for unknown numbers), and even geometry (shapes and spaces). It also shows how people used fractions and square roots.
The Importance of Zero
One of the most exciting things about the Bakhshali Manuscript is its use of the number zero. It shows a dot symbol that works like the zero we use today. This is very important because the idea of zero was a big step forward in math. It helped people understand place value, which means the position of a digit in a number changes its value (like in 10, the 1 means ten, not one).
Who Wrote It and When?
Scholars have studied the manuscript carefully. They believe it was written sometime between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD. However, some recent studies suggest it might be even older, possibly from the 2nd or 3rd century AD. It's hard to know for sure because the manuscript is so old and fragile. It was likely written by a scribe or a group of scribes who copied older math texts.
Why is the Bakhshali Manuscript Important?
The Bakhshali Manuscript is very important for understanding the history of math, especially in India. It shows that people in ancient India had advanced math skills. It gives us a peek into how math was taught and used long ago. It also helps us see how ideas like zero developed over time.
Images
-
The numerals used in the Bakhshali manuscript, dated to sometime between the 3rd and 7th century AD.
-
Bakhshali manuscript, detail of the numeral "zero".
See also
In Spanish: Manuscrito de Bajshali para niños
