How did the achievements of the Gupta empire make higher-level mathematics possible?

(1 point)
Responses

They invented writing materials that allowed for the easy correction of mistakes.

They invented writing materials that allowed for the easy correction of mistakes. - no response given

They developed the idea of multiplication as repeated addition.

They developed the idea of multiplication as repeated addition. - no response given

They discovered the number pi and were the first to calculate the area of a circle.

They discovered the number pi and were the first to calculate the area of a circle. - incorrect

They invented the numeral zero and the decimal system of numbers.

They invented the numeral zero and the decimal system of numbers. - no response given

1 answer

The achievements of the Gupta Empire in mathematics included the invention of the numeral zero and the development of the decimal system. These innovations were crucial because they provided a more efficient way to represent numbers and perform calculations, making higher-level mathematics more manageable and systematic. The introduction of zero as a placeholder allowed for the representation of large numbers and facilitated operations such as subtraction and addition, which are foundational for advanced mathematical concepts. Therefore, the correct response would be:

They invented the numeral zero and the decimal system of numbers.