At a Glance
- Glen Van Brummelen, a mathematical historian, discovered evidence of a decimal point’s use by Venetian merchant Giovanni Bianchini, predating its known use by German mathematician Christopher Clavius by approximately 150 years.
- The invention of the decimal point revolutionized mathematical calculations, allowing for the easier manipulation of non-whole numbers, or fractions, alongside whole numbers.
- Bianchini, with a background in mathematics and experience as a merchant and astronomer, played a significant role in the early development of the decimal system, using it in metrology and spherical astronomy.
- Bianchini’s extensive travels, including to regions in the Islamic world where mathematical concepts flourished, likely influenced his innovative approach to representing non-whole numbers.
- Clavius borrowed from Bianchini’s decimal system in 1593, challenging previous assumptions about the origins of the decimal point and highlighting the interconnectedness of mathematical developments across different cultures and periods.
A recent discovery by a mathematical historian at Trinity Western University in Canada has shed new light on the history of mathematics. The historian Glen Van Brummelen uncovered evidence of the use of a decimal point by a Venetian merchant, Giovanni Bianchini, approximately 150 years before its previously known use by German mathematician Christopher Clavius. This significant finding, detailed in the journal Historia Mathematica, highlights the early development of the decimal system and its impact on mathematical calculations.
The invention of the decimal point revolutionized how non-whole numbers, or fractions, were calculated, making it as straightforward as working with whole numbers. Before this discovery, it was believed that the decimal point was first used by Clavius in 1593 while creating astronomical tables. However, Van Brummelen’s research revealed that Bianchini’s use of the decimal point in the 1440s predates Clavius’s known application of the system.
Giovanni Bianchini, a Venetian merchant with a strong background in mathematics, played a crucial role in the early development of math fundamentals. His work in metrology and spherical astronomy demonstrated the practical application of his decimal system. Furthermore, his extensive travels, including to regions in the Islamic world where mathematical concepts flourished, likely influenced his innovative approach to representing non-whole numbers.
The significance of Bianchini’s contribution to the history of mathematics is underscored by the fact that Clavius borrowed from Bianchini’s decimal system in 1593. This revelation challenges previous assumptions about the origins of the decimal point and highlights the interconnectedness of mathematical developments across different cultures and periods.
References
- Van Brummelen, G. (2024). Decimal fractional numeration and the decimal point in 15th-century Italy. Historia Mathematica. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hm.2024.01.001
- Yirka, B. & Phys.org. (2024, February 20). Use of decimal point is 1.5 centuries older than historians thought. Phys.Org; Phys.org. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-decimal-centuries-older-historians-thought.html
