Arabic numerals are the ten digits 0 through 9 used in most of the world today to write numbers in the base-10 (decimal) system. They form a positional numeral system, meaning the value of a digit depends on both its face value and its position within the number. Although called "Arabic numerals," this numeral system originated in India and was transmitted to Europe via Arabic scholars and mathematicians. Key points
- Digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. These are used universally in decimal notation today.
- Origin: The Hindu–Arabic numeral system was developed in India and refined in the Arab world before spreading to Europe.
- Eastern vs Western forms: There are two common sets in use today.
- Western Arabic numerals: 0–9, used worldwide in most contexts.
* Eastern Arabic numerals (often called Hindu-Arabic numerals in the Arab world): ٠, ١, ٢, ٣, ٤, ٥, ٦, ٧, ٨, ٩, used in parts of the Middle East and North Africa.
- Directionality: Arabic numerals are written left-to-right, even when used alongside Arabic text which is written right-to-left.
- Notation system: The digits operate in base-10 with place value, allowing representation of virtually any number with a string of digits (e.g., 1234).
If you’d like, I can provide quick examples of numbers written in both Western and Eastern forms, or explain how place value works with a few sample calculations.
