Why do our written numbers look like they do?
October 10th 2009 00:00
Thanks to Pete for sending me this. It was so interesting and great to know that you all may find it as interesting as I did.
Do you know why numbers look like they do? Someone, at some point in time, had to create their shapes and meaning.
Our numbers are originall based on Arabic numbers which were originally created a very long time ago and what logic the people that created them used to determine their shapes. It is really very simple and quite creative.
You have to admire the intelligence of a person who created something so simple and perfect that it has lasted for thousands and thousands of years and probably will never change.
The numbers we write are made up of algorithms, (1, 2, 3, 4, etc) called arabic algorithms, to distinguish them from the roman algorithms (I; II; III; IV; etc.).
The arabs popularised these algorithms, but their origin goes back to the phenecian merchants that used them to count and do their commercial contability.
But how did they come up with the idea that a 1,2,3,4 etc would look the way they did - the explanation is very simple and brilliant - the way they are written is because of the angles contained in each number.
You will notice that the 7 has a line through the middle of it. That was the way the Arabic 7 was originally written, and in Europe and certain other areas they still write the 7 that way, in fact I still write the 7 with a line through it - this is probably because I am getting ancient but also when I was at school a teacher wrote it that way and I wanted to be all cool and hip so started writing it that way. Also, in the military they commonly write it that way. Now you know why.
The nine has a kind of a curly tail on it which has been reduced for the most part nowadays to a simple curve, but the original logic involved still applies.
How good is that!!
Do you know why numbers look like they do? Someone, at some point in time, had to create their shapes and meaning.
Our numbers are originall based on Arabic numbers which were originally created a very long time ago and what logic the people that created them used to determine their shapes. It is really very simple and quite creative.
You have to admire the intelligence of a person who created something so simple and perfect that it has lasted for thousands and thousands of years and probably will never change.
The numbers we write are made up of algorithms, (1, 2, 3, 4, etc) called arabic algorithms, to distinguish them from the roman algorithms (I; II; III; IV; etc.).
The arabs popularised these algorithms, but their origin goes back to the phenecian merchants that used them to count and do their commercial contability.
But how did they come up with the idea that a 1,2,3,4 etc would look the way they did - the explanation is very simple and brilliant - the way they are written is because of the angles contained in each number.
You will notice that the 7 has a line through the middle of it. That was the way the Arabic 7 was originally written, and in Europe and certain other areas they still write the 7 that way, in fact I still write the 7 with a line through it - this is probably because I am getting ancient but also when I was at school a teacher wrote it that way and I wanted to be all cool and hip so started writing it that way. Also, in the military they commonly write it that way. Now you know why.
The nine has a kind of a curly tail on it which has been reduced for the most part nowadays to a simple curve, but the original logic involved still applies.
How good is that!!
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Comment by Anonymous
read this:
Really Long Link
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Anonymous
Also, if you'd have posted a picture of the 9, the untruthfulness of this theory would have been more obvious, because the supposed system requires it to have a spiral on it's tail.
Comment by Jason King
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"I don't believe your information is correct - what I have discovered myself is................." Then you may actually receive gratification for clearing things up.
If there was a picture of the 9 I would have posted it and if you read the entire article as opposed to spurting forth your world of knowledge you would have seen I mention the curly tail.
Don't get me wrong - I find further information on the matter very interesting and have read 1st Anonymous' entire link which I also find fascinating, I just think delivery and manners could be in order.
Have a good day.
Comment by Anonymous
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Have a good weekend!
Comment by Quidam
Image Phoenician Numbers
Phonecian numerals
Phoenician numerals are built up from four elements in combination 6, 7, 8 and 11. Like the letters, Phoenician numbers are written from right to left: ... means 143 (100 20 20 1 1 1). The numbers between one and 9 were written down as combinations of lines specifically I, II, III for the first three numbers but anything between 4 and 9 were combinations sets of III and II or III and III...etc. Number 10, 11 and 20 had their own format while a 30, for example, was a combination of a 20 and a 10.
Their appearance is also not based on arabic numerals
All of this is easy to find, so it you don't want to receive cries of "Bullshit!" don't propagate it without doing a little basic research. After all you are the one presenting this fiction as fact.
Comment by Jason King
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Firstly, not presenting anything as fact - posting things I find interesting. All the better when it starts a debate, I am in know way a professor but it is great sharing things that have not been seen before - but most people do not wish to start a debate - they wish to show their egos on the internet by thrusting forth asshole superiority as if the world revolves around them and they know all while you are an idiot. As you can imagine I might take offence to this.
I did propogate some basic research - and thanks for the suggestive lecture dad. From my reseach I was quite certain that the 43,900,000 sites discussing the above had some form of accuracy - also something I found interesting.
Regardless of the way you seem to have presented it I do appreciate your further information on the issue.
Comment by Anonymous
having a different character for each number allowed for much easier calculation (imagine having to multiply 19x26x11x42 all in roman numerals, for instance). hence, it caught on.
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Anonymous
But, of course, I know now it's just all a form of "folk etymology".
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by keihatsu
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Comment by Anonymous
They had the modern numbers on top and the angled-numbers below it.
By the way, the number 9 was portrayed like this:
___
| |
|___|_
|
|___|
Four angles inside the loop, two angles on the right of the vertical, and one angle below the loop, and two angles at the bottom.
4 2 1 2= 9 angles.
the = 4 angles
Also, the 7 was portayed like this-
_______
/ /
| /
__/__
/
/
Two angles at the top left, one angle at the top right, the slanting descender, then the slash across the descender for 4 angles.
2 1 4 = 7 angles.
You might want to contact the Reader's Digest archivists to ask where they obtained their information. I remember seeing it around mid-1960s to mid-70s.
It is an elegant explanation that is simple enough have the hand of God behind it!
Thanks for the memories.
Comment by Anonymous
" ______ "
" |.........| "
" |_____|__"
" .........| "
" |_____| "
" ________ "
" /............./ "
" /............./ "
" |............/ "
" ........__/__ "
" ........../ "
" ........./ "
" "
Comment by Jason King
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Thanks for the comments people - it is great to see this one still sparks debate.
To the 63yr old Anon man - glad you enjoyed the memories and thanks for all your information, especially your efforts in trying to draw it all.
Have a great day people.
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Comment by Devin Serpa
Really Long Link
It's hard to believe without sources presented. The original story came from here:
Really Long Link
Devin
Comment by Anonymous