Zero was invented by

The correct answer is Option 4: an unknown Indian. While popular narrative often attributes the invention of zero to Aryabhata, historical and mathematical scrutiny reveals a more nuanced evolution.

• Aryabhata (Option 1): In his work Aryabhatiya, he utilized a decimal place-value system and used the word kha for vacancy, but he did not explicitly "invent" the symbol or the functional digit zero as we use it today.
• Varahamihira (Option 2) and Bhaskara I (Option 3): These mathematicians significantly advanced Indian trigonometry and algebra, with Bhaskara I being the first to write numbers in the Hindu-Arabic decimal system with a circle for zero, yet they built upon pre-existing concepts.
• Why Option 4 is correct: The concept of Shunya (void) emerged gradually from Vedic philosophy and early mathematical practices. The earliest physical evidence, such as the Bakhshali Manuscript and inscriptions in Gwalior, suggests that the placeholder and functional zero evolved over centuries through the collective contributions of several unknown Indian mathematicians before being formalized by Brahmagupta in the 7th century.