First come up with a question. This is what you will attempt to answer in your paper. What led to the six centuries of relative peace, prosperity and innovation throughout southern Europe and North Africa, otherwise known as the “Islamic Golden Age?” After extensively researching your question, decide upon the argument you are going to put forth in order to answer or explore it further. While your argument should be based upon reliable and credible sources, it should also present an original point of view. * Beginning in 8th century Baghdad, mathematicians began to pioneer the use of “zero” as a number of its own, rather than simply as a placeholder in calculations * Merchants, philosophers and scientists soon discovered that this powerful mathematical tool opened the door to more complicated equations and avenues of thought * Arab mathematicians, philosophers, and scientists brought zero to Spain, where its use led to a renaissance in science, art, and politics. * Source: “Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea” (Charles Seife) Finally, develop a thesis that advances your point of view. Remember, it should be no longer than a sentence in length. The discovery of zero as a number in and of itself was responsible for the advancements in mathematics, science, and philosophy that formed the foundations of the Islamic Golden Age.