A new mathematical analysis published in the History of Mathematics Journal has identified advanced numerical algorithms within the 11th-century Siddhanta-Shiromani manuscripts of Bhaskara II. The study focuses on the 'Gati' sections, which detail the non-linear velocity changes of planets, revealing that Indian mathematicians had developed proto-calculus methods for modeling instantaneous acceleration centuries before the European scientific revolution.
The researchers used computational modeling to verify the accuracy of the planetary tables, finding that the recursive methods used for calculating the sine of small angles allowed for high-precision orbital predictions. These results highlight the continuity of the Kerala School of Mathematics and its roots in the earlier Siddhantic traditions of the central Indian plateau.