How did the numbers come about? Detailed answer

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How did the numbers come about? Detailed answer

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How did the numbers come about?

It's very simple: if you add two more kopecks to two kopecks, then you will have 4 kopecks. But did you know that it took millions of years for a person to learn to think the way you do? Indeed, the most difficult thing is to teach any child to use the modern number system.

In ancient times, when a person wanted to show how many animals he owned, he still did not know how to use numbers. In a large bag he put as many pebbles as he had animals. The more animals, the more stones. The word "calculator" comes from the Latin "calculus", which means "stone"!

Later, man learned to use symbols for different units of count. He would draw a dash or other mark for whatever he counted, but he still didn't have the words to represent the numbers. Even later, a person began to count with the help of fingers on his hand. Since we have 10 fingers on our hands, this has led to the use of the number 10 in counting systems.

In ancient times, there was no single counting system for all countries. Some number systems were based on 12, others - 60, others - 20, 2, 5, 8. The number system introduced by the Romans was widespread throughout Europe until the XNUMXth century. Until now, Roman numerals are used in watches and for the table of contents of books, but such a system of numbers was too complicated.

The counting system we use today was invented in India a thousand years ago. Arab merchants spread it throughout Europe by 900. This system used the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0. This is a decimal system based on ten.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

How do male and female hunting falcons, who consider the breeder as their sexual partner, mate?

Sexual imprinting is a mechanism of imprinting by animals at the earliest stage of image development, which then becomes a guideline when choosing a partner for mating. When breeding hunting falcons, the person himself becomes the object of imprinting for birds. To produce new offspring, the breeder allows the male to "mate" with a special hat on his head, equipped with pockets for collecting semen. Then a female is selected, who, if necessary, is offered food determined by the ritual of courtship, and the breeder performs fertilization by injecting semen through a syringe or pipette.

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