In the book, you talk at length about how our fascination with our hands—and five fingers on each—probably helped us invent numbers and from there we could use numbers to make other discoveries. So what came first—the numbers or the math? There are obviously patterns in nature. There are lots of patterns in nature, like pi, that are actually there.
These things are there regardless of whether or not we can consistently discriminate them. When we have numbers we can consistently discriminate them, and that allows us to find fascinating and useful patterns of nature that we would never be able to pick up on otherwise, without precision.
Numbers are this really simple invention. These words that reify concepts are a cognitive tool. Without them we seem to struggle differentiating seven from eight consistently; with them we can send someone to the moon.
A lot of people think because math is so elaborate, and there are numbers that exist, they think these things are something you come to recognize.
Another interesting parallel is the connection between numbers and agriculture and trade. What came first there? I think the most likely scenario is one of coevolution. A positional system allows you to reuse the same symbols, by assigning the symbols different values based on their position in the sequence. Several civilisations developed positional notation independently, including the Babylonians, the Chinese and the Aztecs.
By the 7th Century, Indian mathematicians had perfected a decimal or base ten positional system, which could represent any number with only ten unique symbols.
Over the next few centuries, Arab merchants, scholars and conquerors began to spread it into Europe. A key breakthrough of this particular system which was also independently developed by the Mayans was the number 0. Kaplan describes the Mayan invention of zero as the "most striking example of the zero being devised wholly from scratch. Some scholars assert that the Babylonian concept wove its way down to India, but others, including those at the Zero Project, give Indians credit for developing numerical zero independently.
If philosophical and cultural factors found in India were important to the development of zero as a mathematical concept, it would explain why other civilizations did not develop zero as a mathematical concept, said van der Hoek. George Gheverghese Joseph, the concept of zero first appeared in India around A.
He developed a symbol for zero: a dot underneath numbers. An inscription on a temple wall in Gwalior, India, dates back to the ninth century, and has been considered the oldest recorded example of a zero, according to the University of Oxford. Another example is an ancient Indian scroll called the Bhakshali manuscript. Discovered in a field in , researchers thought it also had originated in the ninth century.
However, recent carbon dating has revealed that it was probably written in the third or fourth century, which pushes the earliest recorded use of zero back years. Marcus du Sautoy, a professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford, said, "Today we take it for granted that the concept of zero is used across the globe and is a key building block of the digital world.
How else do numbers come up? Once you start thinking about it, you'll be amazed at how interwoven numbers are in your daily life! You're familiar with the normal base number system that uses , but did you realize there are a variety of other number systems out there, such as base-8, base-2, and even base? Check out Number Systems online to learn how these other interesting number systems work! Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words idea safe simple society explain baboon mystery imagine highlight occurred evidence advances civilizations importance calculations mathematics development technological Take the Wonder Word Challenge.
Join the Discussion. Sophia Mar 11, Mar 9, Thank you! You're full of fun compliments today. MLG Jan 14, If I is read is story, and is no find out who is make 1 2 3 then Who is make 1 2 3? Hi, wonderopolis! I loved this article and the demonstration of numbers! Nov 11, Mar 21, Lucas Mar 5, Mar 5, Feb 25, Ana B Feb 22, I think that you should do a wonder on Roman numerals! Feb 24, Edgar Watson Feb 4, Feb 5, Max Dec 10, Mia G Nov 20, Dec 5, Great question! We'd love to hear what you discover as you research this question, Mia G!
Romeo Nov 9, Mitchell Ork Oct 29, Sep 30, Aug 6, Jun 4, Raynel May 22, Hey wonderopolis can you tell me how numbers were made. May 23, Corvo May 14, May 21, Max Apr 13, Hi Wonderopolis!
Just want to say Good Job and keep up what you're doing! Apr 17, Thanks, Max! Bethany Mar 13,
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