«
»

Why is THREE written 3? Learn how numbers came to be with this cute YouTube video

.
Have you ever wondered how Arabic numbers evolved?  Why do we use 1 for ONE, 2 for TWO, 3 for THREE, 4 for FOUR, 5 for FIVE, 6 for SIX, 7 for SEVEN, 8 for EIGHT and 9 for NINE?  Could the way numbers are written actually mean something?
.
You may remember Roman numerals: I, II, III, IV, V and so on.  When you look at these, it’s easy to decipher a pattern and break the code:

 

I represents ONE. II represents TWO.       III represents THREE. Rather than represent FOUR with four lines and FIVE with five lines, V was chosen to represent five.  FOUR was represented as IV meaning five minus one.  You subtract the smaller number on the left from the larger number on the right. The logic is apparent. Not so with our current system: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0.  Is there any reason FIVE is written as 5?  Is it a purely arbitrary notation or does its configuration actually mean something? Could these numbers too be based on a pattern?

.

Watch this YouTube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDVbsu-yn5I

to learn how our Arabic numbers were created and the logic behind them. Better yet, watch it with your child.   To open, copy and paste it on your url. Both you and your child will be amazed!

.

Approach math with a sense of wonder. Your child will be intrigued by its beauty and logic. 

.

 Who knew that even the way we write numbers 1-9 are based on patterns! You can count the angles in each one. There are THREE angles in 3 and so on.  In 0 there are no angles.  Amazing . . .

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 8:23 am and is filed under Developing Number Sense.. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.