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Title: INVESTIGATING NUMBER SYSTEMS
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19/03/2008
A number system is the set of symbols used to express quantities as the basis for counting, comparing amounts, determining order, performing calculations, representing value and performing calculations. It is the set of characters and mathematical rules used to represent a number. Examples include the Arabic, Babylonian, Chinese, and Egyptian, Greek, Mayan, and Roman number systems. The ISBN and Dewey Decimal System are examples of number systems used in libraries. Even Social Security has a number system. (Cajori, 1993)
Roman Numerical System
Originally the Roman numbers were independent and used original symbols but currently they use Roman alphabet letters, a good example is Etruscans that used I Λ X ⋔ 8 ⊕ for I V X L C M. The letters I and X are letters in their alphabet. From these symbols, folk etymology say that the V usually represents a hand and the X is a combination of V's One inverted. The Etrusco Roman numericals were derived from notches on tally sticks. For example I was the letter I scored across a stick. The fifth notch was double cut (V) and the tenth was cross cut (X). This then if one wants to get seven the symbol was IIIIVII and it was abbreviated as VII. The seventeen letter was then written as XVII. Zero didn't have any symbol but they used the word nulla.
The tenth V or X along the stick received an extra stroke. 50 was written as N, И, K, Ψ, ⋔. But at the time of Augustus it had a ⊥ sign and later it was transformed to L. For 100 there were also various shapes like Ж, ⋉, ⋈, H, but the Ж took more wait. It then later changed to >I< or ƆIC but C finally took more weight because it was a letter and also it stood for centum which meant “hundred” in Latin.
500 was written as Ɔ superposed on a ⋌...