Without the concept of zero, let alone other things, finding even the product of two numbers would be extremely difficult. Further, without defining zero, theory of groups, spaces etc. would not have been possible.
Was the discovery of zero the most important of all mathematical discoveries?
On the other hand, there was already a lot of important math before there was a zero. If you look only at integers, multiplication is not actually a difficult concept, because it's just repeated addition (and addition is just repeated counting).
Okay, try once to multiply 379 say, and say 487, without using the decimal system of representation of numbers. In fact, during the days of construction of pyramids, they did not use the decimal system. Such multiplications were actually done, in Egypt at least, during those days anyway. You would perhaps try to work out such a multiplication in the ancient Egyptian way first! You would understand easily what I mean!
I do understand what you mean. But a positional notation system (like the decimal system) does not necessarily require a concept of zero, and the other way round. Sure, 0 makes it a lot easier and more elegant. And like you say, it's required for a lot of other areas. But you can go (and we have gone, in our human history) quite a long way without it.
For the decimal system, according to you, we do not need the concept of zero! Well, in that case, I do not have anything more to say!
Fantastic! Superb! At least in this case, down-voting seems to be very logical indeed! It was commented that the decimal system does not require the concept of zero! It was objected, and the objection got down-voted!
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