How did the ancients use numbers?

1. How did the ancients use numbers? By Katrina Raman

2. Introduction • we had to create a pour point presentation showing how the ancients use numbers. We were given a certain amount of time to complete our task and put it on our class wiki.

3. Historical facts • 1. When did it spread to Europe?The first recorded zero is attributed to the Babylonians in the 3rd century BC. A long period followed when no one else used a zero place holder. But then the Mayans, halfway around the world in Central America, independently invented zero in the fourth century CE. The final independent invention of zero in India was long debated by scholars, but seems to be set around the middle of the fifth century. It spread to Cambodia around the end of the 7th century. From India it moved into China and then to the Islamic countries. Zero finally reached Western Europe in the 12th century.

4. The five questions • 1. Where did the number Zero come from? The first recorded zero is attributed to the Babylonians in the 3rd century BC. • 2. When did it spread to Europe?The first recorded zero is attributed to the Babylonians in the 3rd century BC. A long period followed when no one else used a zero place holder. But then the Mayans, halfway around the world in Central America, independently invented zero in the fourth century CE. The final independent invention of zero in India was long debated by scholars, but seems to be set around the middle of the fifth century. It spread to Cambodia around the end of the 7th century. From India it moved into China and then to the Islamic countries. Zero finally reached Western Europe in the 12th century. • 3. Name the man who brought it to Europe?Fibonacci • 4. What city in Italy first used the number Zero?Rome • 5. Describe what was wrong with the roman numerals number system?Normally I have always taken the Natural Numbers to start at 1 and not to include zero. You just have to remember the difference between Natural Numbers and Whole Numbers by saying the natural numbers can be counted using your fingers and the first finger looks like a 1, while the word “whOle” has a zero in the middle, thus the Whole Numbers include 0.

5. Human ingenuity • What is technology? • Technology is the making of tools, machines or systems. • Where does technology come from? • Technology comes from your creative mind • How can technology initiate change? • It can change the way we live. And it can change our day to day life. • In what ways have humans shaped technology? • We use to have wooden wheels but now we have tires and cars. We have made technology more advance. • In what ways has technology shaped our lives? • We have changed in many ways. We have change how we drive to work or school. We have also changed the way we research our things.

6. Introduction to Europe • The person how toke the number zero cam to Europe was a guy called Fibonacci.

7. Conclusion • I found this unit very fun. I have learnt a lot. I have learnt that the first country to find the number zero was Rome.