Creators/Time Period

Two men are credited for the numeral system we use today. Aryabhat from the 5th century B.C. and Brahmagupta from the 6th century B.C. are two ancient Indian mathematicians.

Pros and Cons of the Hindu-Arabic Numeral System

Pros:

- Add and subtract using symbols

- Count using fingers up to ten

- Used globally

- Has a place-holder

- Symbols are not pictures or letter so they do not get confused with words

Cons:

- Complicated to divide and multiply

- Math is always evolving

- Finding new ways to solve problems

Type of System

The Hindu- Arabic system is a base 10 system. The base 10 number system is the basis of a place value number system and is also known as a decimal system.

Characteristics

- Based on fingers

- Positional system

    * the position of the number determines the place value it represents

- Read left to right

- Uses the value of zero (0)

- Additive, subtractive, and multiplicative 

  Symbols

- The symbols were created by the number of angles represented in each number