Question

The Greco-Roman civilization had a limited numerical system. It had no zero or placeholder-only nine numerals. The Arab civilization also
used a nine-digit system until they came into contact through trade with the Hindus of India during the Middle Ages. The Arabs learned that the
Hindus had a number system with nine numerals and a "sift," which was symbolized by a zero or a dot. The Arabs borrowed that numerical system
and eventually exported it to the western world through their colony in Spain.
Which statement best summarizes how the idea of zero spread through the world?
0
1. Hindus and Arabs developed the use of zero at the same time and taught it to the rest of the world.
2. Arabs developed the concept of zero and taught it first to the Hindus and then to the western world.
O
3. Hindus first had the concept of zero, and then Arabs borrowed that concept and taught it to the western world.
O
4
After the Greco-Roman civilization used the digit zero, the Hindus borrowed it and finally exported it to the Arabs.

Answer 1

3. Hindus first had the concept of zero, and then Arabs borrowed that concept and thought it to the western world.

Explanation:

In one way or another every civilization had its own numeric system. Some systems were more advanced and more practical while some not so much. Even though the empires in general had tensions between them and were not very fond of each other, they were still regularly contacting with each other, especially through trade.

Through the trade all sorts of ideas and technologies got shared, so they were spreading out relatively easy and fast. The Arabs were in between the Hindus and the Europeans and in many ways they controlled big portion of the trade. The Arabs saw that the Hindus have something that they lacked in their numeric system, the concept of zero, which was making the counting much easier and practical. The Arabs adopted this concept.

Because they were in constant contact with the western world as well, once they established the concept of zero, the Europeans noticed it and borrowed it from them as they saw it as useful one and better than the system they have. The manner in which the concept of zero spread is very similar to how the modern globalization works.