As adults we take numbers for granted we all use numbers on a daily basis without really thinking. Examples of using numbers are telephone numbers, addresses and door numbers. In addition to that, numbers are used constantly in sport whether it is scoring games and matches or adding points together for a table or league format.

So where do numbers come from?

Firstly, a number can be represented as a symbol as numbers can be mean something different as it has many principles and properties. Also numbers can be used in many contextual ideas whether it is in a classroom teaching multiplication or pricing food and drink products. Furthermore, it is stated that there are a variety of different types of numbers – natural numbers; whole numbers or integers; rational numbers or fractions; real numbers and lastly imaginary and complex numbers.

Number systems have been prevalent in society for thousands of years. Examples of number systems include the Egyptian number system; the Mayan number system; the Babylonian number system and the ancient Chinese number system. Each number system is unique as the symbols and numbers represent different meanings and ideas. In this instance, the Egyptian number system can be described by having many symbols to represent numbers from one up to ten thousand. These symbols consist of lines for the unit numbers and shapes and symbols explaining the numbers ten to ten thousand.

Today, people use the base-10 system to understand and represent numbers in everyday life. The base-10 system originated from and has been developed from the Hindi-Arabic system. In the base-10 system, it uses symbols for the numbers one to nine and then uses a place value system with a place holder of zero takes care of the representation of larger numbers. Finally the base-10 system is effective in the way it uses numbers and brings the numbers together through the place value system.

Reference

Barmby, P., Bilsborough, L., Harries, T. and Higgins, S. (2010) Primary Mathematics: Teaching for Understanding. Maidenhead: Open University Press.