Contrary to the belief that mathematics is universal, Indian arithmetic had a distinctive philosophy which is best understood in a historical perspective. Two plus two is not always four: why zero so confused Europeans.
Arithmetica, Gregor Reisch 1503. A Symbolic Image: Boethius and Pythagoras in a mathematical Competition. Pythagoras uses an Abacus, while Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480 AD-524 AD) uses Numerals from India...
