New NCERT Class 7 textbook traces algebra, integers, other concepts to ancient India: Report
New Delhi: The newly released Class 7 mathematics textbook by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) attributes several mathematical concepts, including algebra, to Indian mathematicians, The Indian Express reported on Friday.
The book, titled Ganita Prakash, is the second part of NCERT’s revised Class 7 mathematics series. Part 1, released earlier this year, also highlighted India’s historical contributions to mathematics. The latest volume draws on examples from Sanskrit texts, includes exercises inspired by the works of ancient Indian mathematicians, and discusses about an ancient Indian text on geometry.
A chapter on integers, for example, points to mathematician Brahmagupta’s 7th-century CE text Brahmasphutasiddhanta as being the “first time that rules for multiplication and division of positive and negative numbers were articulated”. It describes this “an important step in the development of arithmetic and algebra” and includes problems based on Brahmagupta’s principles. The textbook mentions that Indian contributions to algebra are among the earliest known work in the field.
Another chapter, devoted to algebraic equations, introduces the concept of bijaganita, now known as algebra, and explains that forming expressions with symbols and solving them was a key aspect of mathematical exploration in ancient India. The chapter refers to Brahmagupta’s work on adding, subtracting and multiplying unknown numbers using letters, saying this is among the earliest known works in algebra, the report added.
Tracing the evolution of algebra, the textbook says Indian mathematical ideas were translated into Arabic in the 8th century, influencing scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi of present-day Iraq. His 9th-century work, Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala (“calculation by restoring and balancing”), incorporated these ideas. By the 12th century, the text had been translated into Latin and reached Europe. “The word al-jabr from his book gave us the word algebra, which we also still use today,” it says.
NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani said the inclusion of such material aims to help students learn “correct history” and move away from “skewed” colonial interpretations.
Commenting on the historical context, Dhruv Raina, historian and philosopher of science, sais that Arab scholars were “profoundly influenced” by Indian mathematicians, especially Brahmagupta. “They improvised upon these methods to create what we consider algebra today. The Arab mathematicians were great synthesisers and innovators with the knowledge they acquired from ancient Greek, Indian and Chinese traditions,” TIE quoted Raina as saying.
The earlier Class 7 textbook contained no references to ancient Indian mathematicians. The new edition is part of NCERT’s move to align school curricula with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
