BHASKARA II

BHASKARA II- Biography


Bhaskara or Bhaskaracharya was an Indian astronomer and mathematician.
The second name means "Bhaskara the Teacher".

Bhaskaracharya's father was a Brahman named Mahesvara. Mahesvara himself was an astrologer.

There was a mathematical centre at Ujjain at that time. Bhaskaracharya became head of it. Famous mathematicians such as Varahamihira and Brahmagupta had already worked there.

He is considered the most important mathematician of the 12th century.

Six works by Bhaskaracharya are known to us. Most important of them are Lilavati, Bijaganita and 
Siddhantasiromani.

He was influenced by the ideas of Brahmagupta. But his studies went beyond his master.

Bhaskaracharya understood about zero and negative numbers.

In his mathematical works he used the decimal system. He also compiled problems from Brahmagupta and others.

He filled many of the gaps in Brahmagupta's work. He found a solution to Pell equation (x^2= 1+Py^2).

He also wrote on astrology. He studied planetary positions, eclipses, cosmography, geography, and the mathematical techniques.

He named his first work, Lilavati, after his daughter. Bhaskaracharya considered squaring of Numbers as special cases of multiplication. He gave four such methods of squaring in Lilavati.