Who came up with the concept of negative #'s?

Question

Don't get me wrong, the concept of negative numbers is pretty interesting but it sometimes creates some questions. For example, how is a number less than zero? I'm not out to disprove the logic of negative numbers, i just want to know who came up with it and why?

Answer 1

Let me put it this way.



If you had $100 in your pocket, how much would ADD to it, to make the total amount in your pocket $0?



See where I'm going with this?



As for who came up with the idea - "Negative numbers appeared for the first time in history in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art , which in its present form dates from the period of the Chinese Han Dynasty (202 BC. – AD 220), but may well contain much older material.[2] Indian mathematicians developed consistent and correct rules on the use of negative numbers, which later spread to the Middle East, and then into Europe. Prior to the concept of negative numbers, negative solutions to problems were considered "false" and equations requiring negative solutions were described as absurd."



Negative numbers are often used to represent the amount of a loss or absence. For example, a debt that is owed may be thought of as a negative asset, or a decrease in some quantity may be thought of as a negative increase.

Answer 2

It was Rowdy McFarlane. He was on drugs and twinkies at the time.

i tried to talk him out of the idea but i was on alcohol and stimulants at the time and after he explained it to me i thought it made a great deal of sense.

after he published his seminal paper on the negativity of numbers he called me up one day and said,"what do you think the SQUARE ROOT of a negative number should be?"

i told him, dude, you need to stop taking so many twinkies.

He checked into rehab that afternoon and i haven't seen him around since.

Answer 3

The concept wasn't created, it was discovered and a long, long time ago.

Answer 4

It was me. Sorry, but I was on drugs at the time. Drugs and Twinkies.

Answer 5

What does this have to do with Gender Studies?