History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s7.15

v1.c7.s7.15

The Hieratic and the Demotic numerals, however, resemble the Brâhmî in having nineteen symbols for the numbers from 1 to 100, but the principle of formation of the numbers 200, 300, 400, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 are different, as will appear from Table II(*c*). The method of formation of intermediate and higher numbers is also different in the two systems. While the Brâhmî places the bigger numbers to the left, the arrangement is the reverse of this in the Kharoṣṭhî and Semitic writings. Thus the number 274, is written in Brâhmî with the help of the symbols for 200, 70 and 4 as (200) (70) (4), while in the Kharoṣṭhî and the Semitic numerals it is written as (4) (70) (200).¹