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You are here: Home / Firsts / What Is the Most Important Number?

What Is the Most Important Number?

May 1, 2020 by Karen Hill

In ancient Europe, there was no such thing as a zero. The numbers used by the ancient Romans were really letters that stood for certain numbers; V was 5, X was 10, and C was 100.

But in the 10th century, a number system from the East came to Europe, along with the zero. In this number system, a digit stands for a different number depending on its “place” in the number.

For instance, the 2 in 200 stands for a different quantity than the 2 in 120. But this system wouldn’t work at all if it weren’t for the zero, for the 200 would be just 2 and the 120 would be 12. That’s why the zero may be the most important number ever invented!

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Filed Under: Firsts

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where Did Our Numbers Come From?
Next Post: Who Invented Popcorn? »

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