Aryabhata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Āryabhaṭa
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Statue of Aryabhata at the IUCAA in Pune
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| Born | c. 476 CE |
| Died | 550 CE |
| Academic background | |
| Influences | Surya Siddhanta |
| Academic work | |
| Era | Gupta era |
| Main interests | Mathematics, astronomy |
| Notable works | Āryabhaṭīya, Arya-siddhanta |
| Notable ideas | Explanation of lunar eclipse and solar eclipse, rotation of Earth on its axis, reflection of light by moon, sinusoidal functions, solution of single variable quadratic equation, value of π correct to 4 decimal places, diameter of Earth, calculation of the length of sidereal year |
| Influenced | Bhaskara I, Brahmagupta, Varahamihira, Lalla, Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics, Islamic Astronomy and Mathematics |
Aryabhata (ISO: Āryabhaṭa) or Aryabhata I (476–550 CE) was an Indian mathematician, physicist and astronomer. He was a true genius, making incredible discoveries that helped people understand the world around them much better.
Aryabhata's work had a huge impact on the development of mathematics and astronomy, not just in India but also in other parts of the world. India's first satellite, launched in 1975, was named Aryabhata in his honor.
Biography
Little is known about his life. We don't know his exact birthdate, although most historians believe he was born around 476 CE (Common Era) in a place called Asmaka, which is believed to be in present-day India.
It is fairly certain that, at some point, he went to Kusumapura for advanced studies and lived there for some time.
Contributions
Aryabhata proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun, a revolutionary idea for his time. He also provided accurate calculations for the positions of planets and explained eclipses scientifically. On top of that, he calculated the length of a year with incredible accuracy! He figured out that a year is 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds long. That's very close to the modern calculation. Aryabhata wasn't just an astronomer; he was also a fantastic mathematician! He developed new ways to solve mathematical problems, including methods for calculating square roots and cube roots. He also worked with trigonometry. He introduced the concept of sine in trigonometry, a tool still used by mathematicians and scientists today.
Aryabhata also made a very good approximation of Pi (π), the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. He calculated it to be approximately 3.1416, which is incredibly close to the actual value. This was a significant achievement, as Pi is a crucial number in many mathematical calculations.
He also made significant contributions to the field of algebra. He developed methods for solving indeterminate equations, which are equations with more than one solution. These equations are still studied and used in mathematics today.
Works
Aryabhata is the author of several treatises on mathematics and astronomy, some of which are lost. His major work was Aryabhatiya. It is a comprehensive text covering mathematics and astronomy. His other works include:
- Gītikāpāda: Introductory verses and astronomical constants.
- Ganitapāda: Mathematics, including arithmetic, algebra, and trigonometry.
- Kālakriyāpāda: Timekeeping and planetary motion.
- Golapāda: Spherical astronomy and cosmology.
Interesting facts about Aryabhata
- Aryabhata discovered that the apparent westward motion of stars is due to the spherical Earth's rotation about its own axis.
- He also noted that the luminosity of the Moon and other planets is due to reflected sunlight.
- Aryabhata Knowledge University in Patna, India, is named in his honor.
- Bacillus aryabhata [also spelt as Bacillus aryabhattai], a species of bacteria discovered in the stratosphere by ISRO scientists in 2009, is named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Aryabhata para niños
- Āryabhaṭa numeration
- Āryabhaṭa's sine table
- Indian mathematics
- List of astronomers § Aryabhata
- List of Indian mathematicians
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