Vol. VIII, No. 9.) The Bakhshiili Manuscript. 357 
[N.8.] 
problems, e.g., indeterminate equations. Mahavira uses no 
notation, and Bhaskara (a.p. twelfth century) is the first Hindu 
mathematician to refer explicitly to symbols. 
I 
n the Bakhshali manuscript the following symbols are 
(i) A dot over the unit is used to express the unknown 
quantity. This is not the ordinary Indian practice 
and may possibly be connected with the later Greek 
verted. 
(iii) Bha@ (short for Bhaga = a fraction) means that the 
number preceding it is to be treated as a denomi- 
nator. 
(iv) Pha (short for phala = fruit, answer) denotes equal- 
it 
(vi) Mu (mila = a root) indicates <<‘ squaring. 
(vii) a (? ddhihana) indicates the initial term of an arith- 
metical series. 
(viii) « (uttara = the increase) indicates the common differ- 
(v) Ya (for yula = joined) indicates addition. 
(xii) dri (drisya = 2? visible) denotes total. 
(xili) Se (esa) applied by Mahavira to a certain class of 
problems of fractions. 
(xiv) Fractions are written with the numerator above the 
denominator, but without any dividing line. Unity 
is often written as a denominator. 
(xv) Multiplication is generally indicated by juxtaposition. 
VII. 
text. The substance of each rule and example is given, but no 
attempt at a literally accurate rendering has been made. The 
reader is referred to Hoernle’s translation. 
' T. L. Heath, Diophantus of Alexandria, p. 32f. 
