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Madhava of Sangamagrama

संगमग्राम के माधव
c. 1340 CE – c. 1425 CE
MathematicsAstronomy

Infinite series for π, sine and cosine — centuries before Europe

Story

Madhava founded the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics. He discovered infinite series expansions for π and for trigonometric functions about 250 years before similar results appeared in Europe.

Key contributions

  • Infinite series for π (now often called the Madhava–Leibniz series)
  • Power series for sine and cosine (Madhava–Newton series)
  • Calculated π correct to 11 decimal places

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Photos: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons, unless uploaded by Awadh Vigyan Bharati. Ancient scholars are shown with symbolic images where no portrait exists.