Final answer:
The invention of the decimal number system and the concept of zero by Indian mathematicians during the Gupta Empire played a critical role in modern computing, along with the use of negative numbers and the precision calculation of pi.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the most significant early Indian mathematical ideas that contributed to computing was the development of the decimal number system and the concept of zero. The Indian mathematicians during the Gupta Empire invented zero as a number, which is crucial for the place-value system used in computations and the foundation of modern computing.
This numerical concept enabled the development of more complex mathematical operations like division and multiplication, which are essential in the computing algorithms we use today. Furthermore, Indian mathematicians were also the first to use negative numbers and made significant advances in calculating the value of pi (π) with high precision, which is fundamental in various computing applications.
Another important contribution was in the field of trigonometry, where Indian mathematician Aryabhata and others in the Kerala school of mathematics developed what would become the trigonometric functions, instrumental in computing involving geometric computations.