Discoveries

March 13, 2024

Dotting a Mystery

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The history of mathematics will need a slight revision, according to a new study.

The decimal point is a ubiquitous symbol in modern mathematics for dividing whole numbers into fractions.

Throughout history, various civilizations have used a version of decimals, but the current and consistent system is believed to have been established by German mathematician Christopher Clavius in 1593.

However, newly found 15th-century notes from Venetian merchant Giovanni Bianchini have upended this timeline, Live Science reported.

Researcher Glen Van Brummelen recently examined some of Bianchini’s treatises dating between 1441 and 1450, and noticed an earlier adoption of the decimal notation – predating Clavius by approximately 150 years.

Prior to the decimal point, mathematicians predominantly utilized fractions, while astronomers relied on base-60 decimals for their calculations.

The researcher explained that Bianchini’s notation – which resembled the modern decimal system – was notably used in his astronomical computations, showcasing an early understanding of decimal fractions.

Although Bianchini’s use of decimals did not immediately gain widespread acceptance, it undoubtedly influenced subsequent mathematicians, including Clavius and John Napier.

Napier is known as the inventor of logarithms and played a pivotal role in cementing the decimal point’s significance in mathematics during the early 17th century.

“Thus, attempting to identify a ‘first’ among this host of different players may be a fool’s errand, depending on one’s criteria for the historical actor’s level of appreciation of the power of operations with decimal fractions and the persistence of their systems,” Van Brummelen wrote.

This story originally appeared in the March 13, 2024 newsletter, Being There.