Primitive man used sign language and fingers to indicate quantities before the development of a formal number system. Over time, a more advanced decimal number system known as Hindu-Arabic numerals evolved, originating from India in the 6th-7th centuries. Key mathematicians like Aryabhata and Brahmagupta are credited with developments in this system, including the introduction of the symbol for zero to represent nothing or a nil value. Today, numbers play an important role in daily life across many contexts from making phone calls to cooking to telling time.

1. Presented by : K. Sri Sai Dhrithi
ADIS Al Wathba ( branch 1)
Grade : V A-F

2. INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS
At first, primitive man used sign language to indicate the
number he wanted to use. He may have pointed to the
three spears in his neighbor's cave or to the slain sabre-
tooth tiger at his feet. He may have used his fingers to
indicate the number. Two fingers raised on one hand
meant two whether he was talking about two spears, two
sabre-tooth tigers, two caves or two arrow heads.
In everyday usage, we understand that a number is a word
or a symbol which signifies a specific quantity and it is not
necessary to define what we are talking about . For
example, three or 3 can refer to three airplanes, three
pens or three schoolbooks.

3. INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS
The number system we have today, commonly
called Hindu-Arabic Numerals, has evolved so much
and come through a long route and mostly from
some far away lands, outside of Europe.
It came about because human beings wanted to
solve problems and mainly, wanted to know the
quantity of a particular thing. So they started
creating numbers to solve these problems.

4. A number is defines as a mathematical object used
to count, measure, and also label. The original examples are
the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. A
notational symbol that represents a number is called
a numeral. In addition to their use in counting and measuring,
numerals are often used for labels (as with telephone numbers),
for ordering (as with serial numbers), and for codes. In common
usage, number may refer to a symbol, a word, or a mathematical
abstraction.
Numbers play an important role in our lives. Almost all the things
we do involve numbers and Mathematics. Whether we like it or
not, our life revolves in numbers since the day we were born.
There are numerous numbers directly or indirectly connected to
our lives.
DEFINITION TO NUMBERS

5. Hindu-Arabic numerals, set of 10 symbols—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 0—that represent numbers in the decimal number system.
They originated in India in the 6th or 7th century and were
introduced to Europe through the writings of Middle Eastern
mathematicians, especially al-Khwarizmi and al-Kindi, about the
12th century.
The most commonly used system of numerals is the Hindu–
Arabic numeral system. Two Indian mathematicians are
credited with developing it. Aryabhata of Kusumapura
developed the place-value notation in the 5th century and a
century later Brahmagupta introduced the symbol for zero.
HISTORY OF NUMBERS

6. INTRODUCTION TO ZERO
• Though humans have always understood the concept of nothing or
having nothing, the concept of zero is relatively new.
• They wanted to find some number to represent a nil value. So they
found 0 to represent a nil value.
• Some people say that Zero was invented independently by the
Babylonians, Mayans and Indians.
• Many mathematicians of different era has suggested for symbolizing
‘NOTHING’. Then they introduced the symbol “0” for symbolizing
nothing, to the world and made complicated things easier.
• Indian texts used a Sanskrit word Shunye or shunya to refer to the
concept of void. In mathematics texts this word often refers to the
number zero.
• But even now people are not sure whether zero was discovered by
Aryabhatta or Brahmagupta, an indian mathematician.

7. The following are some uses of numbers in our daily life:
1. Calling a member of a family or a friend using mobile phone.
2. Cooking, or anything that involves the idea of proportion and percentage.
3. Weighing fruits, vegetables, meat, chicken, and others in market.
4. Using elevators to go places or floors in the building.
5. Looking at the price of discounted items in a shopping mall.
6. Switching the channels of your favourite TV shows.
7. Telling time you spent on school.
8. Knowing the bus/ flight numbers during your travel.