BHASCARA (b. I114), known as Acarya (the learned), In dian astronomer and mathematician, was the head of an observa tory at Oudjein. He wrote in verse on astronomy and mathematics, the Siddliantashiromani. The chapters on mathematics were trans lated by Colebrooke with the work of Brahmagupta (q.v.) and those on astronomy by L. Wilkinson (Calcutta, 1842). It is prac tically certain that Bhascara was acquainted with Arabic writings on mathematics ; and it seems that the results of his own work were known in Europe in the 12th century. In Bhascara's work the Arabic numerals are used, and he was the first writer to give a systematic exposition of the decimal system. He enunciates the ordinary rules of arithmetic, arithmetical and geometrical pro gressions, simultaneous and quadratic equations, and some trigono metrical formulae. The book incidentally throws much light on economic conditions of the time, on the price of slaves, the rate of interest and so on.
See the Dissertation by Colebrooke, prefixed to his edition (1817) ; W. W. Rouse Ball, Short Account of the History of Mathematics; Cantor, Geschichte der Mathematik (vol. i., 3rd ed., 1906).