India to the World

Mathematics & Computer Science

Names for very large powers of ten

1st millennium BCEVedic texts (Yajurveda)Taittiriya and Vajasaneyi SamhitasPan-Indian / unspecified

1,000 BCE

Number words for powers of ten up to 10^12 (parardha), showing comfort with a base-ten scale.

Dated: 1,000 BCE–0 CE
As scholars put it: 1st millennium BCE
Originator: Vedic texts (Yajurveda)
Source text: Taittiriya and Vajasaneyi Samhitas
Region: Pan-Indian / unspecified
Discipline: Mathematics & Computer Science
Evidence: Documented
Confidence: High
Verification: Reference-cited

Meanwhile in the West

Greek and Roman number words stopped far lower.

Fair to say

Naming large numbers is not the same as a written place-value system.

Path to modern innovation

Cultural groundwork for the decimal system.

1,000 BCENames for very large powers of ten

401 CEDecimal place-value system
- 501 CEHindu-Arabic numerals (1-9)
- 628 CEZero as a number (with arithmetic rules)
  - 628 CENegative numbers and sign rules

References

1Plofker (2009)

Further reading

2Wikipedia: Indian numbering system

Corrections and additional sources: edit IND-244 on GitHub.