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GREAT INDIAN MATHEMATICIANS OF POST-CHRISTIAN ERA

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 GREAT INDIAN MATHEMATICIANS OF
POST-CHRISTIAN ERA
Subrata Bhowmik
Department of Mathematics
Tripura University
Suryamaninaga
Subrata_bhowmik_math@rediffmail.com

Here our aim is to know some history of our Indian Mathematicians in the post-
Christian era. But it will be a little injustice if we do not first recall the history of Mathematics in
very very short maner of Pre-Christian Era, that will help us to pride to our History of
Mathematics and our Indian Mathematicians.
The History study of the Mathematics in Indian and the history of Indian
Mathematicians is a highly prestigious matter for us as Indians. Mathematics is the subject, if its
manuscript or its written document, specially in detail is not available, then it is very much
difficult to know how much the history contributed in this subject, it is the mater of regret for us
that - for India that happened, either there is no information about the documents or documents
was destroyed or not available. Form the ancient time, it is better to say from the Harappa and
Indus Valley Civilization (mature period 2600–1900 BC) the subject Mathematics was highly
studied by us and also that was also used in practical also, this can be easily understand from their
high developed engineering and in their practical life, it impossible without high development in
mathematics – geometry, number system etc. But we have no document to know upto what level
they were developed.
After Harappa and Indus Valley Civilization the Vedic age came, we have some
documents of that time, and from that the SulvaSutras is the most important mater of our pride.
There are lots of SulvaSutras of different Asramas in Vedic age, some of most important are
Bauddyayan SulbaSutra(800 BC) the oldest, Katyayan SulbaSutra(500 BC), Apastan
SulbaSutra(400 BC), Manav SulbaSutra(500-200 BC) etc. Some of the SulvaSutras was
destroyed by the time, so lots of informations have lost. These SulvaSutras are rich of geometry,
we will be surprise to know that almost all the theorems of Euclidean Geometry (around 300 BC)
was already in the SulvaSutras, The Elements of Euclid (323–283 BC) contains only 467
theorem, but only in Bauddyayan SulbaSutra(800 BC) there are 525 geometric theorems which is
much more that the Euclids Elements(around 300 BC) long before the Elements. So we can
imagine if we include all the theorems of SulvaSutras what will be the number, there are lots of
SulvaSutras of different Asrramas, some of them is not also available. The well known
Pythagorean theorem as we know discovered by Pythagora(570-495 BC) was already in
Bauddyayan SulbaSutra(800 BC) in the form of following form:
“Deerghacaturashrashya crayarajjhuh parshyamanee tirjanmanee ca
jatpritthagbhute kurutostudubhayang koroti ”
that is: “Whatever (area) the length and breath of a rectangle produce separately, the
diagonal of the rectangle produce that (area).”
As our aim is to catch the Post-Christian ear, we are not going in detail of the History
of Mathematics of Pre-Christian era, let us stop here.
 India is studying Mathematics and Astronomy from its far ancient time. But the
growth of Mathematical and Astronomical sciences during the post-Christian era is the most
glorious chapter in India. India gave birth a series of great mathematicians in this period. Here we
will take some of their names.

Aryabhata(476-550 AD)

The great Indian Mthematician-Astronomer, Aryabhata was born in 476 AD at

Pataliputra (near Patna) and at the young age 23 wrote his famous book on Astronomy,
Aryabhatiya. He made the discovery that the earth rotates round its axis, but thousand year later
Galileo(1564-1642) and Copernicus(1473–1543) have to suffer a lot only to uttering this truth
and even they were in the position to stop their scientific study and research, but no such thing
happened in Indian with Aryabhata. His other scientific contribution include: discovery of
trigonometric sine, accurate evaluation of π, perfection of decimal system of numbers, evaluation
of AP and GP series and square and cube root of numbers, accurate calculation of number of days
in solar year(upto seventh decimal point which is better than Ptolem’s[about 85 – 165
AD]figure), discovery of the causes of solar and lunar eclipses, prediction of duration and angular
extent of eclipse etc.— a long list indeed.

He is the first person who gave the accurate value of π up to four decimal places which
is 3.1416, no other one have done such achievement in that century.
Aryabhata was the pioneer to introduce the concept of ‘Bijganita’ or Algebra. .
Aryabhata is the first person who invented the modern method of finding square root,
but this was started by the western mathematicians long long after the Aryabhata, this was staterd
by Catanio(1546 AD) and Cataldi(1613 AD) in the west first.
Aryabhata was also the first person who gave the general integral solution of linear
Diophantine equation ax+by=c in his Aryabhatiya, which was also first started by west long long
after him.
He had been truly the first and the foremost mathematical genius, produced by the
human race and a forerunner of Newton and other European mathematicians who were to be born
more than thousand years later.
Varahamihira(505-587 AD)

Varahamihira made several observations on comets. He compiled

Panchasiddhantika(575 AD)—five systems of astronomy, wherein apart from Indian systems,
Alexandrian and Roman astronomical systems also discussed. In Brahatsamhita(The Great
Compilation) discusses topics such as: descriptions of heavenly bodies, their movements and
conjunctions, meteorological phenomena, indications of the omens these movements etc.

One treatise which Varahamihira summarises was the Romaka-Siddhanta which itself
was based on the epicycle theory of the motions of the Sun and the Moon given by the Greeks in
the 1st century AD. The Romaka-Siddhanta was based on the tropical year of Hipparchus and on
the Metonic cycle of 19 years. Other works which Varahamihira summarises are also based on
the Greek epicycle theory of the motions of the heavenly bodies. He revised the calendar by
updating these earlier works to take into account precession since they were written. The
Pancasiddhantika also contains many examples of the use of a place-value number system.

Varahamihira made some important mathematical discoveries. Among these are

certain trigonometric formulae which translated into our present day notation correspond to

sin x = cos(π/2 - x), sin2x + cos2x = 1 and (1 - cos 2x)/2 = sin2x.

Another important contribution to trigonometry was his sine tables where he improved
those of Aryabhata giving more accurate values. It should be emphasized that accuracy was very
important for these Indian mathematicians since they were computing sine tables for applications
to astronomy and astrology.

The Jaina school of mathematics investigated rules for computing the number of ways
in which r objects can be selected from n objects over the course of many hundreds of years.
They gave rules to compute the binomial coefficients nCr which amount to
n
Cr = n(n-1)(n-2)...(n-r+1)/r!

However, Varahamihira attacked the problem of computing nCr in a rather different

way. He wrote the numbers n in a column with n = 1 at the bottom. He then put the numbers r in
rows with r = 1 at the left-hand side. Starting at the bottom left side of the array which
corresponds to the values n = 1, r = 1, the values of nCr are found by summing two entries,
namely the one directly below the (n, r) position and the one immediately to the left of it. Of
course this table is none other than Pascal's triangle for finding the binomial coefficients despite
being viewed from a different angle from the way we build it up today. For example a short table
with n=5 is shown below:

r 1 2 3 4 5
n

1 1

2 2 1

3 3 3 1

4 4 6 4 1

5 5 10 10 5 1
Brahmagupta(598-660 AD)

Brahmagupta was born in Ujjain. After Aryabhata and Varahamihira, substantial

advancements in Indian mathematics and astronomy were due to Brahmagupta in seventh
sentury. He born in 598 AD near Multan. Brahmagupta flourished in Ujjain where he wrote the
astronomical treatise: Brahmasphutasiddhanta(628 AD) and Khandakhadaka(664 AD). He was
an opponent of Aryabhata’s theory that earth rotates round the sun. However, he substantially
improved Aryabhata’s method of astronomical calculation and computation of latitude and
longitude.
In his Brahmaphutasiddhanta, he extensively dealt with the properties of cyclic
quadrilateral and trapezium and the relationbetween their sides, diagonals and area.
Aryabhata have prepared the sine table, Brahmagupta , in his Khandakhadaka stated a
new method to find out the intermediate sine values from the Aryabhata’s sine tabe values, after
one thousand year Newton(1642-1727) and other mathematicians rediscovered this theory by the
name of “Theory of Interpolation”, but very few knows this fact, this was due to the fact that no
one after him took interest in this method.

In addition to the Brahmasphutasiddhanta Brahmagupta wrote a second work on

mathematics and astronomy which is the Khandakhadyaka written in 665 when he was 67 years
old. We look below at some of the remarkable ideas which Brahmagupta's two treatises contain.

Another arithmetical result presented by Brahmagupta is his algorithm for

computing square roots, which is equivalent to the Newton-Raphson iterative formula.

Brahmagupta developed some algebraic notation and presents methods to solve

quardatic equations. He presents methods to solve indeterminate equations of the form ax+c = by.

Brahmagupta also solves quadratic indeterminate equations of the type ax2 + c = y2

and ax - c = y2. For example he solves 8x2 + 1 = y2 obtaining the solutions (x, y) = (1, 3), (6, 17),
2

(35, 99), (204, 577), (1189, 3363), ... For the equation 11x2 + 1 = y2 Brahmagupta obtained the
solutions (x, y) = (3, 10), (161/5, 534/5), ... He also solves 61x2 + 1 = y2 which is particularly
elegant having x = 226153980, y = 1766319049 as its smallest solution.

Brahmagupta gives the sum formulae:

12 + 22 + 32 + .......... + n 2 = n( n + 1)(2n + 1) / 6
13 + 23 + 33 + .......... + n3 = {n(n + 1) / 2}2

In the Brahmasphutasiddhanta Brahmagupta gave remarkable formulae for the area of

a cyclic quadrilateral and for the lengths of the diagonals in terms of the sides. Much material in
the Brahmasphutasiddhanta deals with solar and lunar eclipses, planetary conjunctions and
positions of the planets. Brahmagupta believed in a static Earth and he gave the length of the year
as 365 days 6 hours 5 minutes 19 seconds in the first work, changing the value to 365 days 6
hours 12 minutes 36 seconds in the second book the Khandakhadyaka. This second values is not,
of course, an improvement on the first since the true length of the years if less than 365 days 6
hours. One has to wonder whether Brahmagupta's second value for the length of the year is taken
from Aryabhata since the two agree to within 6 seconds, yet are about 24 minutes out.
 The Khandakhadyaka is in eight chapters again covering topics such as: the longitudes
of the planets; the three problems of diurnal rotation; lunar eclipses; solar eclipses; risings and
settings; the moon's crescent; and conjunctions of the planets. It contains an appendix which is
some versions has only one chapter, in other versions has three.

Lalla(About 720-790 AD)

In the eight centuary, Lalla amended Aryabhata’s work. Lalla's most famous work was
entitled Shishyadhividdhidatantra. This major treatise was in two volumes. The first volume, On
the computation of the positions of the planets, was in thirteen chapters and covered topics such
as: mean longitudes of the planets; true longitudes of the planets; the three problems of diurnal
rotation; lunar eclipses; solar eclipses; syzygies; risings and settings; the shadow of the moon; the
moon's crescent; conjunctions of the planets with each other; conjunctions of the planets with the
fixed stars; the patas of the moon and sun, and a final chapter in the first volume which forms a
conclusion. The second volume was On the sphere. In this volume Lalla examined topics such as:
graphical representation; the celestial sphere; the principle of mean motion; the terrestrial sphere;
motions and stations of the planets; geography; erroneous knowledge; instruments; and finally
selected problems.

Lalla also wrote a commentary on Khandakhadyaka, a work of Brahmagupta. Lalla's

commentary has not survived but there is another work on astrology by Lalla which has survived,
namely the Jyotisaratnakosa. This was a very popular work which was the main one on the
subject in India for around 300 years.

Mahavira(800-870 AD)

Mahavira, the Jain mathematician was the notable commentator of Brahmagupat’s idea
during the ninth century. In his Ganitasarasangraha, he was concerned with the properties of
right-angled triangles, area and circumferance of ellipse, geometric progression series and so on.
He used his mathematical knowledge in various calculation on excavation and shadows.

Mahavira was of the Jaina religion and was familiar with Jaina mathematics. The
only known book by Mahavira is Ganita Sara Samgraha( 850 AD). It consisted of nine chapters
and included all mathematical knowledge of mid-ninth century India. It provides us with the bulk
of knowledge which we have of Jaina mathematics and it can be seen as in some sense providing
an account of the work of those who developed this mathematics. There were many Indian
mathematicians before the time of Mahavira but, perhaps surprisingly, their work on mathematics
is always contained in texts which discuss other topics such as astronomy. The Ganita Sara
Samgraha by Mahavira is the earliest Indian text which we possess which is devoted entirely to
mathematics. Ganita Sara Samgraha contaims: Terminology, Arithmetical operations,
Operations involving fractions, Miscellaneous operations, Operations involving the rule of three,
Mixed operations, Operations relating to the calculations of areas, Operations relating to
excavations, Operations relating to shadows
 Among topics Mahavira discussed in his treatise was operations with fractions including
methods to decompose integers and fractions into unit fractions. For example
2
/17 = 1/12 + 1/51 + 1/68.

He examined methods of squaring numbers which, although a special case of

multiplying two numbers, can be computed using special methods. He also discussed integer
solutions of first degree indeterminate equation by a method called kuttaka. The kuttaka (or the
"pulveriser") method is based on the use of the Euclidean algorithm but the method of solution
also resembles the continued fraction process of Euler given in 1764. The work kuttaka, which
occurs in many of the treatises of Indian mathematicians of the classical period, has taken on the
more general. Mahavira gave special rules for the use of permutations and combinations which
was a topic of special interest in Jaina mathematics. He also described a process for calculating
the volume of a sphere and one for calculating the cube root of a number. He looked at some
geometrical results including right-angled triangles with rational sides.

Mahavira also attempts to solve certain mathematical problems which had not
been studied by other Indian mathematicians. For example, he gave an approximate
formula for the area and the perimeter of an ellipse.

Sridhara(870-930 AD)

Sridhara was possibly of Bengle. Sridhara is known as the author of two mathematical
treatises, namely the Trisatika (sometimes called the Patiganitasara ) and the Patiganita.
However at least three other works have been attributed to him, namely the Bijaganita, Navasati,
and Brhatpati. Information about these books was given the works of Bhaskaracharya(writing
around 1150), Makkibhatta (writing in 1377), and Raghavabhatta (writing in 1493). Sridhara's
gave the well known rule for solving quadratic equations popularly known as sridharacharya’s
formulas, as:
“ Caturahata borgosomoi rhupoiah paksadwayang gunhayet⏐
abyakto borgorhupoiryuktaoo pokshoo toto mhulom ⏐⏐”
in modern mathematical language: If the quadratic equation is ax2 + bx + c = 0, then his
steps to solve it as: Step I: 4a2x2 + 4abx + 4ac = 0

Step II: (2ax + b)2 + 4ac = b2

Step III: 2ax + b = ±√( b2- 4ac)

−b ± (b 2 − 4ac)
Step IV: x =
2a

but it is still under question, whether he have taken both the roots or not.
 There is another mathematical treatise Ganitapancavimsi which some historians believe
was written by Sridhara.

In his Patiganita he gave a wide variety of applications, including problems involving

ratios, barter, simple interest, mixtures, purchase and sale, rates of travel, wages, and filling of
cisterns. Other topics covered by the author include the rule for calculating the number of
combinations of n things taken m at a time. There are sections of the book devoted to arithmetic
and geometric progressions, including progressions with a fractional numbers of terms, and
formulae for the sum of certain finite series are given. He also give the method for finding
rational solutions of Nx2 ± 1 = y2, 1 - Nx2 = y2, Nx2 ± C = y2, and C - Nx2 = y2 in the Patiganita.

Manjula(10th Century AD)

Manjula, the author of Laghumanasa(932 AD), Siddhantsekhara(1039 AD) extended

the concepts of Indian astronomy and mathematics. Manjula was aware about the knowledge of
the modern mathematics calculus, and the claim that it is discovered by Isac Newton(1642-1727)
and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) is totally wrong.
Manjula in his Laghumanasa represented the infinitesimal increment of the functions
like u = v ± e sinθ as du = dv ± e (cos θ) dθ , which clearly shows the knowledge of calculus in
Manjula.

Bhaskaracharya(1114-1185 AD)

Bhaskarachary born in Vijayapura. It is said that Bhaskaracharya was the last

astronomer-mathematician of repute produced by ancient India. His Sidhantasiromoni(1150 AD)
was divided into four part: Lilavati (rule of arithmetic), Vijaganita (on algebra, root extraction),
Grahaganitadhya (motion of planets) and Golodhyaya (on calculation of sphere).
Bhaskaracharya advanced the concept of Bijganit or algebra. He dealt on
algorithm, zero and its use, unknown quantities, surds, the pulverized or ‘kuttaka’, solution of
quadratic equations and of certain equation of third and fourth degree.
H.T.Colebrooke in his book “Algebra, with arithmetic and mensuration from
Sanskrit of Brahmagupta and Bhaskaracharya”(London, 1817) writes:
“ The point in which the Hindu Algebra appear particularly distinguished from
Greek, are, besides a better and more comprehensive algorithm, first, the management of equation
involving more than one unknown term, the second the resolution of equation of higher order,
anticipating a modern discovery in the solution of biquadratic, third, general methods for the
solution of indeterminate problem of 1st and 2nd degree, and lastly, application of algebra to
astronomical investigation and geometrical demostration.”
The full solution of Pellian equation ax2+e=y2 and its more general form
2 2
ax +bx+c=y was given by Bhaskara, who developed the “cyclic” method. H.Hankel wrote in his
‘Zur Geschichte der Mathematik’ of this method: “It is beyond all praise; it is certainly the finest
thing achieved in the theory of numbers before Lagrange.”
We can be proud to know that, Newton’s(1642-1727) invented gravitational
force was already spelt out by our Bhaskarachary in his ‘Siddhantosiromoni’ 500 years before
Newton. In his words:
 “ Akristishakti Mohee tatha yatkhasthang guru swabhimukhang yashakya │
Akriswatee tatpatateeb bhati somee somontatakwa patatwiyang khe││”

That is: “The earth has attraction power, due to this power heavy mater in the air
comes down to the earth by attraction. With the attractions of the planets and the stars in all the
direction, it is uncertain, where the earth will fall down.”
The modern mathematics “Differential Calculus” , as we know invented by Isac
Newton(1642-1727) and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), clear work was already in the
work of Bhaskaracharya, almost 500 years ago from the time of so known western
mathematicians discovered that. But the work stopped in the beginning, after him no one looked
at that. But the actual beginning was started by Manjula(10th Century AD), but clear concept has
been seen in the work of Bhaskaracharya. Not only “Differential Calculus” there are lot of
Mathematical concepts that has already been discovered by our Indian Mathematicians hundreds
and thousands years ago from their rediscovery in the west, but we are so uninterested about our
Mathematicians that we only know the name of the western Mathematicians who rediscovered
the old concept as the real discoverer. It is a matter of regret for us.
To calculate the regular motion of the planets he applied “Tatkalika” method or
by “Tatkalika goti” or instantaneous velocity—he subdivide the a day into infinitesimal time
length “Muhurta” or moment and differentiate the situation of a planet in each two consecutive
“Muhurta”. By “ Tatkalika goti” at a moment means the speed at that moment. For that purpose
he knew the differential of sine function. For that his formula was in his word:
“Bibarddhaswa koti jyagun strijyaharah phalang dorjyayontarang│”

in modern mathematical language: d(sin θ)=(cos θ) dθ

Bhaskara also goes deeper into the 'differential calculus' and suggests the
differential coefficient vanishes at an extremum value of the function, indicating deep knowledge
of “Differential Calculus”.

He also gives the well known results for sin(a + b) and sin(a - b). There is also
evidence of an early form of Rolle's(1652 – 1719) theorem;

“ if f(a) = f(b) = 0 then f '(x) = 0 for some x with a < x< b,”

in Bhaskara's work.

It is very much difficult to state the achievements of Bhaskaracharya in a single

article, there are lot of works of Bhaskaracharya that are needed to state here but it will take long
long time. So let me stop here for the great great Bhaskaracharya.

Madhava(1350-1425 AD)

Madhava born in Sangamagramma (near Cochin), Kerala. All the mathematical

writings of Madhava have been lost, although some of his texts on astronomy have survived.
However his brilliant work in mathematics has been largely discovered by the reports of other
Keralese mathematicians such as Nilakantha(1444 – 1544)

Madhava discovered the series equivalent to the Maclaurin(1698 – 1746) series

expansions of sin x, cos x, and arctan x around 1400. The sine and cosine series formula in his
lamguage is as:

“Nihatya capborgenh capom tottotfolani ca⏐

Horet somuljugwargestrijyaborgohataih cromat ⏐⏐

Capom falani cadhodhonyaswoporjupori tyajet⏐

Jeebaptai, songraho ‘syaibo bidwan-ittyadina kritoh⏐⏐

Nihotya capoborgenh rhupom tottotfolani ca⏐

Hored bimuljugborgoistrijyaborgohotoih cromat⏐⏐

Kintu byasdolenoib dwighnenadyom bibhajyatam⏐

Folanyadhodhah cramasho nyasoporjupori tyejeng⏐⏐

Shoraptoi, songroho ‘syoibo stenostri-tyadina kritah⏐”

Which is in modern mathematical language:

sin θ = θ - θ3/3! + θ5/5! - ...

cos θ = 1 - θ2/2! + θ4/4! - ...

which was rediscovered by Newton around 1676

and θ = tan θ - (tan3θ)/3 + (tan5θ)/5 - ...

which is equivalent to Gregory's(1638 – 1675) series

tan-1θ = θ - θ3/3 + θ5/5 - ...

that rediscovered by James Gregory(1638–1675) 100years letter.

Now Madhava put θ = π/4 into his series to obtain

 π/4 = 1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - ...

this formula is obtained from his sloka:

“ Byase baridhe-nihote rhuparhite byas sagorabhihote

Tri-soradi-bisshomsonkha-bhoctom rhinhon swom prithak cromat kurjat ⏐”

This value of π was given by Leibnitz (1646-1716) letter

Also Madhaba also put θ = π/6 into his series to obtain

π = √12(1 - 1/(3×3) + 1/(5×32) - 1/(7×33) + ... )

We know that Madhava obtained an approximation for π correct to 11 decimal places

when he gave π = 3.14159265359

Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Madhava gave a remainder term for his series
which improved the approximation. He improved the approximation of the series for π/4 by
adding a correction term Rn to obtain

π/4 = 1 - 1/3 + 1/5 - ... 1/(2n-1) ± Rn

Madhava gave three forms of Rn which improved the approximation, namely

Rn = 1/(4n) or
Rn = n/(4n2 + 1) or
Rn = (n2 + 1)/(4n3 + 5n).

Madhava also gave a table of almost accurate values of half-sine chords for twenty-four
arcs drawn at equal intervals in a quarter of a given circle.

We may consider Madhava to have been the founder of mathematical analysis.

Some of his discoveries in this field show him to have possessed extraordinary intuition,
making him almost the equal of the more recent intuitive genius Srinivasa Ramanujan,
who spent his childhood and youth at Kumbakonam, not far from Madhava's birthplace.

Here we should recall the Jaysthadev(1500-1610 AD) for one purpose that
the well known Taylor’s series discovered by(Taylor 18 August 1685- 30 November
1731) was already in the Yuktibhasha of Jaysthadev. But we are not going details of him.

There are so many other great mathematicians of India, in this contest it is

not possible to take all of their name and shortly discuss their work, but whatever few
names we take, the list will be incomplete if we do not spell the name of our recent great
mathematician Ramanujan.

Srinivasa Aiyangar Ramanujan(22 Dec 1887-26 April 1920)

Ramanujan Born in a very very poor family in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was one of the India's greatest mathematical geniuses. He made substantial
contribution to number theory. Though his life span was very short, though he did not get
favourable environment to grown up, but his work would have undoubtedly been recognized
within his lifetime as the work of genius. He was unparallel and still there is no one with whom
we can compare the great Ramanujan. Though he failed his college examination, Ramanujan’s
facility in the theory of numbers was in large measure intuitive. Many of the results apparently
came to his mind without any effort. In this contest let me mention an incident:
On an occation, Mohalanobis(P.C.Mahalanobis, 1893-1972, he was a remarkable
mathematician of India, also was secretary of Vishva-Bhyarati University for 10 years from 22
December, 1921) went to Ramanujan’s room to have lunch with him. Ramanujan was preparing
something in a pan on the fire for their lunch. Mahalanobish went and sat near a table to glance
through the pages of the Strand magazine which, at that time, used to publish a number of puzzles
to be solved by its reader. He suddenly got interested in a problem involving a relation between
two numbers. Two British officer were billeted in Paris in two different houses on a long street,
the number m and n (which are natural numbers) of these houses were related in such a way that
m2-10n2=±1 and the problem is to find out the numbers. Suddenly Ramanujan without losing a
moment, he told Mahalanobis to write down the answer which is a continuous fraction
1
3+
1
6+
1
6+
6 + ⋅⋅⋅⋅

each successive term represents a solution of the problem, previously Mohalanobis

fonnd the first solution by trial and error method in a few minutes that mached with the first term
of the Ramanujans solution, that amazed Mahalanobish—What a mathematical genius.

Ramanujan spent his last days bedridden and sick, but the great mathematical brain was
far from being inactive, it can be felt by an event with his mentor Hardy(Godfrey Harold Hardy,
1877-1947, a great British Mathematician):

Once Hardy came over to visit Ramanujan in his bedside, Hardy said “I say, Srinivas, I
thought the number of the taxi I came in was a very dull one. It was 1729”. Without even a
moment’s hesitation, Ramanujan replied, “No, maybe not. It is not a dull number in the very
least. It is the lowest number that can be expressed in two different waysas the sum of two
cubes!”—What a genius the ‘Ramanuja’.

Later on this number become famous as ‘Ramanujan Number’.(1947=103+93=123+13).

There are lots of incident that proved every time an immeasurable genius ness of Ramanujan.
 Ramanujan gave lots of formulae for the value of π, and some of remarkable formulas
are:

π 2 2 4 4 6 6
= ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅
2 1 3 3 5 5 7
12
π = log ⎡⎣ (2 2 + 10 )(3 + 10 ) ⎤⎦
190
24 ⎡ 10 + 11 2 10 + 7 2 ⎤
π = log ⎢ + ⎥
142 ⎢⎣ 4 4 ⎥⎦
3 3 3
2 ⎛1⎞ ⎛ 1.3 ⎞ ⎛ 1.3.5 ⎞
= 1− 5⎜ ⎟ + 9⎜ ⎟ − 13 ⎜ ⎟ + ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅
π ⎝2⎠ ⎝ 2.4 ⎠ ⎝ 2.4.6 ⎠
1 ⎡ 1103 27493 1 1.3 53883 1.3 1.3.5 ⎤
=2 2⎢ + ⋅ ⋅ + ⋅ ⋅ + ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅⎥
π ⎣ 99
2
99 6 2 4 2 9910 2.4 4 2.8 3 ⎦

It is very much difficult to summaries this great ocean in a paragraph.

Ramanujan died, but his work still flourishing the knowledge of different branches of
science, expanding the research in the field of science. In his very short life span, in a unfavorable
environment for his development, with a very much poor family background and with a very ill
health, he did so much work that can’t be imagine.

References:

1. Biswas, A.K.: Science in India, Firma K.L.M, Kolkata(1969)

2. Chakroborty Nalinikanta: Pracin o Moddhojuge Bharatiya Ganit o Jotirbidya
Carca(Bengole), Jnan Bichitra, Agartala(2005)
3. Dasgupta, S.: Hinduganit o Bhaskaracharys(Bengole), Bestbooks, Kolkata(1991)
4. Kothare,A.N. et. al. : Of Science and Scientists, National Book Trust(1994)
5. Maity, Nandalal: Pracin Bharatiya Ganiter Itibritto(Bengole), Firma K.LM,
Kolkata(1983)
6. Majumder, Pradipkumar: Pracin Bharate Trikonomiti Carca (Bengole), Pascim Banga
Rajya Pustak Parshad, Kolkata(1989)
7. Sar, Satyabaci: Gonit Jagater Bismoi Ramanujan(Bengole), Jnan Bichitra, Agartala(2000)
8. Sarkar, Ramatosh : Pracin Bharater Ganit Cinta (Bengole), Bestbooks, Kolkata(1992)
9. http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/Biographies/
10. Majumder, Pradipkumar: Pracin Bharate jamiti Carca (Bengole), Pascim Banga Rajya
Pustak Parshad, Kolkata(1992)

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