answersLogoWhite

0

What is the history of negative numbers?

Updated: 4/28/2022
User Avatar

2raven12

Lvl 1
14y ago

Best Answer

Although the first set of rules for dealing with negative numbers was stated in the 7th century by the Indian mathematician Brahmagupta, in 1758 the British mathematician Francis Maseres was claiming that negative numbers "... darken the very whole doctrines of the equations and make dark of the things which are in their nature excessively obvious and simple" . In 200 BC the Chinese number rod system represented positive numbers in Red and Negative numbers in black. These were used for commercial and tax calculations where the black cancelled out the red. The amount sold was positive and the amount spent in purchasing something was negative so a money balance was positive, and a negative.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is the history of negative numbers?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Why does every integer have an opposite?

The numbers 1,2,3,... etc are called natural numbers or counting numbers. Integers are the natural numbers plus zero plus the negative ( or opposite ) natural numbers. Why do we need negative natural numbers ? For one thing x + 1 = 0 is an equation whose solution is x = -1. We could not solve this equation if we did not have negative integers. So over history these negative numbers came about as a way to solve certain math problems. The numbers 1,2,3,... etc are called natural numbers or counting numbers. Integers are the natural numbers plus zero plus the negative ( or opposite ) natural numbers. Why do we need negative natural numbers ? For one thing x + 1 = 0 is an equation whose solution is x = -1. We could not solve this equation if we did not have negative integers. So over history these negative numbers came about as a way to solve certain math problems.


What is the sign of the product of a three negative numbers?

The product. Of three negative numbers is negative I hope you can get 100 in your homework


What type of numbers is the sum of two negative numbers?

They will be negative numbers as for example -5+(-7) = -12


Is a negative a whole numbers?

No. Whole numbers are counting numbers and zero.


What is the sign of product of three negative numbers?

The product of three negative numbers is negative.


Where do you see negative numbers?

Where do we see negative numbers


What set does a negative fraction belong to?

It belongs to the set of negative rational numbers, negative real numbers, fractionall numbers, rational numbers, real numbers.


Are all negative numbers are rational?

No, not all negative numbers are rational. There are many negative numbers that are irrational, just like the positive numbers.


Can rational numbers not be negative?

Rational numbers can be negative or positive.


What do you know about negative numbers?

What do I know about negative numbers? A lot.


Why do we have negative numbers?

We have negative numbers, because if there were no negative numbers, people wouldn't lose profit, they would always gain.


What culture was the first to use to negative numbers?

The Chinese. Negative numbers appear for the first time in history in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, which in its present form dates from the period of the Han Dynasty (202 BC - AD 220)