IIRC Hindus invented this number system (with glyphs for 0-9), and then the Arabs starting using it. Eventually the west started using them and credited the Arabs.

As for how they are written, everyone used the same shapes, and then they probably just ended up changing over time (“Hmm…how do I write that number again? Oh whatever I’ll just make it up”)

Feel free to do your own research though.

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

IIRC Hindus didn't have a "proper" 0, and Arabs did, which I guess is the reason why they got the credit

[–] dukk@programming.dev 6 points 11 months ago

Zero was (in its modern form) invented in India. It’s pretty fundamental to the concept of Hindu-Arabic numerals too: it’s how we represent numbers such as 10, 100, and so on.

[–] Midnight1938@reddthat.com 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I am speechless. My guy. Aryabhatta.

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.world 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yeah after some quick googling it looks like I'm wrong. I'm quite sure that's what I was taught in school though, so blame my teacher !

Basically I was taught that Hindus invented the 0 for base-10 numerals, but didn't actually use it for maths (e.g 0*x = 0), whereas Arab mathematicians did.