Number We Use Today

One may ask; what is a number? A number expresses an idea of quantity. It cannot be seen as a concrete object as a stone or paper, but it can be made real by representing it by a word or a symbol. These symbols which are used to represent numbers are called numerals. We have numeration system from Africa (Egypt), Europe (Rome), and Asia (Babylon), which was used some time ago. Now the numeration system use today is from the Hindu-Arabic system.

Hindu-Arabic Numeral

The Hindu-Arabic Numeral is numeral we use today. It was originated in India and was later adopted by Arab traders. The Hindu-Arabic numeral used only ten symbols called digits, to write all numbers. The symbols, as we know them today are as follows:

(i)                 The ideal of place value                (ii) Symbol for zero.

With the ideal of place value and the symbol for zero, we can write many numbers from the digits. For example 178, 136, 675, 879, 354, are all numbers which use the same digits but different place in the numeral allows different numbers to be named. The symbol ‘0’ in the digits is used for two purposes:

(i)                 As the number for no quantity                  (ii) to serve as a place value holder.

Consider the numbers 7, 700, 7000, 70000, 700000 and so on. All the numbers are written with 7, the zero brings the difference in the numbers.

The Hindus group units together to make tens, group tens together to make hundreds and so on. A number 753 represents seven hundred plus five tens plus three ones.

The Hindu-Arabic Numeral is sometimes called the base ten numeral.

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