Final answer:
The Gupta numeral system was influenced by B) the Silk Road, a vast trading network that connected the Gupta Empire with distant markets and cultures, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas, including mathematical advances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The evolution of the Gupta numeral system was influenced by the Silk Road trading network. The Gupta Empire, which dominated the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent from 319 to 605 CE, experienced significant economic growth and advancements in various sciences, including mathematics. The trade and cultural exchanges facilitated by the Silk Road played a crucial role in the dissemination of the Gupta numeral system, including the innovative concept of zero, which revolutionized mathematics.
Key commodities exchanged along this network ranged from gold and salt to textiles and spices, and it connected cultures and markets from China to the Mediterranean, influencing the spread of ideas and technology. The Indian Ocean trade network was also integral for maritime trade, but it was the Silk Road that had a direct impact on the spread of Gupta mathematical concepts.