ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of ancient numeral systems

Okay kiddo, let me tell you the story about the history of ancient numeral systems.

A long, long time ago, people didn't have numbers like we do today. Instead, they used symbols to show how much of something there was. These symbols were often pictures of things that they wanted to count, like sheep or goats.

The ancient Egyptians were some of the first people to use a numeral system. They used a combination of symbols, including pictures of things they wanted to count and lines and curves to represent other numbers. They also used a special symbol called a "hekat," which was a picture of a round loaf of bread, to represent 100 units of something.

The ancient Greeks were also really good at using symbols for numbers. They used a system that consisted of 27 different symbols, with each one representing a different value. They also had a special symbol for "zero," which was really important for doing math.

In ancient Rome, they used a numeral system that was similar to the one we use today. They had symbols for 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000, and they could combine these symbols to make any number they wanted. They also used a special symbol called a "vinculum" to show when they were multiplying or dividing by 1,000.

Finally, in ancient India, they developed a numeral system called the "Hindu-Arabic system," which is basically the same as the one we use today. They had symbols for 0 to 9, and they could combine these symbols to make any number they wanted. They also used a special symbol called a "decimal point" to show where the whole numbers ended and the fractions began.

So, there you have it kiddo, a brief history of ancient numeral systems. Isn't it fascinating how people from all over the world found different ways to count and do math?