Have you ever wondered what the numbers we use are called? But in vain! Firstly, it is very interesting and exciting. Secondly, knowledge of scientific facts contributes to the expansion of horizons and erudition. And thirdly, our spiritual world is becoming richer! This article will be useful not only to schoolchildren and their parents, but also to students.
Common misconception
Before we find out what the numbers we use are called, let's first understand who invented them. In the world of illiterate people, a widespread misconception roams, because of which they mistakenly believe that the Arabs invented the Arabic numerals. Mankind has written Roman and Arabic numerals for many centuries. But in fact, the modern numbers and their record that we apply came to us from India, and not from the Arab world. But it’s too early to talk about what the numbers we use are called.
Resourceful indians
Around the fifth century, India invented a record of a variety of numbers with the selection of tens. The scientist Ariabhata described the decimal system in the treatise on astronomy "Ariabhatian." A hundred years later, another Indian scientist and thinker Brahmagupta freely used the achievements of his ancestors in the field of mathematics, including the concept of zero. Other nations, of course, have moved far from the primitive system of calculus. They could already be divided into “one”, “two” and “many”, but only resourceful Indians guessed to invent a number that means “nothing” (shunya), that is, zero. And we continue to explore the issue of what are the numbers that we use.
Merit of the Arabs
The Arabs achieved their disposition only because they were able to adopt the Indian notation of number. Later, this form came to North Africa, Spain, and then to Europe. The origin of each of the nine Arabic numerals can be clearly seen if they are written in an angular form. The names of the numbers indicate the number of angles that make up the recorded number.
Modern forms of numbers
The forms that we use in the modern world have emerged as a result of simplifying the recording of Arabic angular numbers. Each of us today uses a rounded Arabic numeral in order to write them conveniently, easily and quickly.
In our state, they appeared thanks to Peter the Great. At the same time, the word "figure" entered the lexical structure of the Russian language. It is of Arab origin, but it came to our language from European languages. But among the Arabs, this token denoted "zero", or empty space.
Conclusion
From our article, you learned how the numbers we use are called. Now you can easily answer this question, as well as tell an amazing story that they were invented not by Arabs, but by Indians.
The merit of the Arabs lies only in the fact that they competently appreciated all the advantages of recording exactly the Indian numbers, and also were able to clearly identify each figure. If we read the numbers in the Arabic text, then we will certainly be mistaken. After all, they write from right to left! Roman figures, according to the Arabs, as well as the Greek, were uncomfortable, as they had very long records. When it was necessary to multiply multi-digit numbers, the operation became impossible if the recording was performed using Greek or Roman numbering.
For a very long time, Indian numbers "roamed" in different countries, they underwent many changes in the styles, but the calculation system remains the same after centuries!
Perhaps many people believe that the Arabic numerals came up with the Arabs only because the word “numeral” itself has Arabic roots.
Today it is all the information. Perhaps archaeologists will carry out any excavations that will shed more light on this intricate story of ancient figures.