Arabic numerals, also known as Indo-Arabic ones, are the simplest characters known to everyone - 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. That is, the answer to the question of how many Arabic numerals exists, there will be a number ten. Today they are the most common symbolic representation of numbers in the world.
Background of occurrence
The first attempts to create a digital system were made in Babylon in the 2nd millennium BC. e., but in their number system there was no zero.
The origin of Arabic numerals is associated with the Indo-Arab digital system, which was adapted by the Persians and was originally used in Arab countries. There is information thanks to which it can be assumed that the figures first appeared in the western regions of the Arab world.
In its modern form, Arabic numerals appeared in North Africa, they were different from those used in the West. In the city of Bejaia, which is located in the north of Algeria, the famous scientist Fibonacci created a modern digital system, he is also the one who came up with Arabic numbers or, rather, made it possible to popularize them. His work became significant for their distribution in Europe and among Europeans, who promoted them around the world. Fibonacci, who came up with Arabic numerals, did not even realize that subsequently they would spread worldwide thanks to trade, printing, and colonialism.
How did zero
It may seem obvious to some that zero is part of a positional system, but this is not true, since it appeared relatively recently in human history. But in fact, this ubiquitous symbol, which means "nothing," was not used in Europe until the XII century. It is believed that the first attempts to introduce zero into the positional system were made in ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerian scribes used various icons and symbols, which in their functions approximated this figure four thousand years ago. Although the first written documents about the appearance of such a sign date back to the III-II millennium BC. e. in Babylon. In a specific six-decimal Babylonian digital system, there was a sign that helped distinguish tens, hundreds and thousands, although it was not used separately. That is, this figure has not yet found all its modern functions.
An Indo-Arab digital system appeared in India around 500 AD. It was more revolutionary, since it had a zero and a positional number system. This was a significant advance in terms of mathematics. So the answer to the question “how many Arabic numbers exist” has changed, since zero has become another full-fledged figure.
Sometimes in a positional number system distinguish numbers and glyphs, characters that are used to graphically display numbers or letters. The first record of zero in the form of a glyph dates from the 9th century (in central India). Numerous surviving Indian copper tablets confirm the existence of a symbol similar to zero in its functions as early as the 6th century. n e.
Adaptation in Europe
Arabic numerals appeared in Europe in 976, this is confirmed by the Vigilan Code.
Since the 980s, Herbert of Aurillac, who later became Pope Sylvester II, contributed to the popularization of numbers in Europe. Leonardo Fibonacci, a
well-known mathematician from Pisa who studied in Algeria, also helped spread the new digital system by writing The Abachi Book.
Numbers and numbers
The answer to the question of how many Arabic numbers exist in nature is simple, because there are only 10 of them, namely: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The relationship between numbers and numbers is obvious, because numbers are a symbolic display of a number, and the number itself is a concept that displays the quantity.
The reason that Arabic numbers were adopted in Europe is not only their ease of use, but also the appearance of the first printing press, which made them popular already in the 15th century.
Arabic numerals in Russia
The Old Slavic number system originates from the Old Slavic alphabet, which was used by the southern and eastern Slavs. It was used until the XVIII century, when Peter I replaced it with Arabic numerals. By the way, Russia became one of the first countries in which Arabic numerals were officially introduced into use.
To summarize, it should be noted: despite the fact that the answer to the question of how many Arabic numerals exist at present is very simple, the positional digital system has come a long way in its development. Thus, symbols, i.e., numbers, once created by prominent Indian scholars, first took their place in the Arab culture, and only then began to spread throughout the civilized world.
The creation of such a digital system has significantly accelerated the pace of development of both science and technology. The main reason for the rapid spread and adaptation of Arabic numerals at the global level was the migration and the advent of printing, thanks to which it was possible to introduce residents of all continents to them.