Kirk Public Lecture: The Ocean of Numbers: How India Shaped the Way We Calculate

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• Clemency Montelle (University of Canterbury, NZ)
• Thursday 12 March 2026, 16:00-17:00
• Seminar Room 1, Newton Institute.

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MHM - Modern History of Mathematics

In his work Epitome of the Essence of Calculation, ninth century Indian mathematician Mahāvīra characterised mathematical knowledge as ‘an ocean of calculation’. Indeed, from the decimal place-value system and trigonometry to sophisticated methods in algebra and astronomy, the mathematical traditions of the Indian subcontinent have profoundly influenced the modern world. In this talk I’ll highlight some of these elegant calculation techniques, astronomical insights, and the cultural contexts that shaped them. We’ll also look at how modern historians reconstruct these achievements from manuscripts, commentaries, and fragmentary clues.

This talk is part of the Isaac Newton Institute Seminar Series series.

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