Biography of Sridharacharya | Indian Mathematician

 Sridharacharya (Bengali: শ্রীধর আচার্য) was an Indian mathematician, Sanskrit pandit and philosopher who was born in 870 CE and died in c. 930 CE. He was born in Bhurishresti (Bhurisristi or Bhurshut) village in South Radha (at present day Hughli) in the 8th Century AD. Very little is known about Shridhara’s life. Some historians give Bengal as the place of his birth while other historians believe that Sridhara was born in southern India. His father's name was Baladev Acharya and his mother's name was Acchoka bai. His father was a Sanskrit pandit and philosopher.

Contributions of Sridharacharya in the field of Mathematics:

• He was one of the first to give a formula for solving quadratic equations.

• He gave an explanation on the zero. He addressed, “If zero is added to any number, the sum is the same number; if zero is multiplied by any number, the product is zero; if zero is subtracted from any number, the number remains unchanged”.

• He wrote on the practical applications of algebra.

• He was the one who separated algebra from arithmetic.

• He wrote on the practical applications of algebra.

• While dividing a fraction, he has noticed that out the method of multiplying the fraction by the reciprocal of the divisor.

• He was the first Indian Mathematician who found the formula for solving quadratic equations.

Sri Dharacharya Books:

Sri Dharacharya has written more than 5 treatises. Sridharacharya 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 Bhaskara II (writing around 1150), Makkibhatta (writing in 1377), and Raghavabhatta (writing in 1493). 

There is another mathematical treatise Ganitapancavimsi which some historians believe was written by Sridharacharya

The Patiganita is written in verse form. The book begins by giving tables of monetary and metrological units. Following this algorithms are given for carrying out the elementary arithmetical operations, squaring, cubing, and square and cube root extraction, carried out with natural numbers. Through the whole book sridharacharya gives methods to solve problems in terse rules in verse form which was the typical style of Indian texts at this time. All the algorithms to carry out arithmetical operations are presented in this way and no proofs are given. Indeed there is no suggestion that Sridhara realised that proofs are in any way necessary. Often after stating a rule sridharacharya gives one or more numerical examples, but he does not give solutions to these example nor does he even give answers in this work.

After giving the rules for computing with natural numbers, Sridhara gives rules for operating with rational fractions. He gives a wide variety of applications including problems involving ratios, barter, simple interest, mixtures, purchase and sale, rates of travel, wages, and filling of cisterns. Some of the examples are decidedly non-trivial and one has to consider this as a really advanced work. Other topics covered by the author include the rule for calculating the number of combinations of nn things taken mm 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.

The book ends by giving rules, some of which are only approximate, for the areas of a some plane polygons. In fact the text breaks off at this point but it certainly was not the end of the book which is missing in the only copy of the work which has survived. We do know something of the missing part, however, for the Patiganitasara is a summary of the Patiganita including the missing portion.

गायत्री मंत्र का जाप: ब्रह्मांडिक चेतना से जुड़ना

Sridharacharya Method of computing Root of a Quadratic Equation:

sridharacharya was one of the first mathematicians to give a rule to solve a quadratic equation. Unfortunately, the original is lost and we have to rely on a quotation of sridharacharya's rule from Bhaskara II :-

Multiply both sides of the equation by a known quantity equal to four times the coefficient of the square of the unknown; add to both sides a known quantity equal to the square of the coefficient of the unknown; then take the square root.

FAQ

What is the famous name of Sridharacharya formula?

Sridharacharya Method is commonly known as the Quadratic formula. the Quadratic formula is ax^2+bx+c = 0 where a, b, c are known numbers, where a ≠ 0 and x the unknown.

What are the books written by Sridharacharya?

Few of the book which is written by Sri Dharacharya are Bījaganita, Bṛhatpati, Navasatī, Pāṭīgaṇita, Trisatika.

Who was Shree Dharacharya?

Sridharacharya (Bengali: শ্রীধর আচার্য) was an Indian mathematician, Sanskrit pandit and philosopher who was born in 870 CE and died in c. 930 CE. He was born in Bhurishresti (Bhurisristi or Bhurshut) village in South Radha (at present day Hughli) in the 8th Century AD.

What is Sri Dharacharya known for?

Sri Dharacharya was the mathematician who separated algebra from arithmetic. He found a way to solve quadratic equations.

What is the Sridhacharya rule?

The Quadratic formula is ax^2+bx+c = 0 where a, b, c are known numbers, where a ≠ 0 and x the unknown.

The respective values are:

x=(-b+√(b^2–4ac))/2a

x=(-b-√(b^2–4ac))/2a