Transmission of Indo-Arabic Numerals

Timeline

1. c. 773–810Baghdad · IraqSanskrit mathematical and astronomical works brought by Indian astronomers were translated and studied in Baghdad; the Indian numeral system caught the attention of Arab scholars and became an important source for the House of Wisdom's mathematical research.
2. c. 820–850Baghdad · IraqAl-Khwarizmi expounded the place-value system of Indian numerals and the rules of operating with zero in his Algebra and arithmetic works, standardizing addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and root extraction into a teachable decimal arithmetic system.
3. c. 850–900Cairo · EgyptThe written form of Indian numerals spread through North Africa's Fatimid dynasty and Andalusian scholarly circles, gradually replacing Roman numerals and letter-based notation in administrative accounts, astronomy, and commercial calculation, laying the foundation for later acceptance in Latin Europe.