Mathematics
T1
In 499 CE, Aryabhata wrote down 24 numbers — 225, 224, 222, 219, 215, 210, 205, 199, 191, 183, 174, 164, 154, 143, 131, 119, 106, 93, 79, 65, 51, 37, 22, 7 — the world's first sine table. Hipparchus's chord table (~150 BCE) computed similar geometry but in chord lengths; Aryabhata's is the first table of half-chords (jya), which is what modern trigonometry calls sine.
From the source
“The (twenty-four) sines reckoned in minutes of arc are 225, 224, 222, 219, 215, 210, 205, 199, 191, 183, 174, 164, 154, 143, 131, 119, 106, 93, 79, 65, 51, 37, 22, 7. ”
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Featured in 2 articles
- Astronomy without arithmetic: Varāhamihira's diagram computer (505 CE)
Published July 5, 2026
- Aryabhata 499 CE: 24 numbers that became the world's first sine table
Published May 17, 2026