History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s8.1

v1.c7.s8.1

**Important Features.** The third and most important of the Hindu numeral notations is the decimal place-value notation. In this system there are only ten symbols, those called *aṅka* (literally meaning "mark") for the numbers one to nine, and the zero symbol, ordinarily called *śûnya* (literally, "empty"). With the application of the principle of place-value these are quite sufficient for the writing of all numbers in as simple a way as possible. The scale is, of course, decimal. This system is now commonly used throughout the civilised world. Without the zero and the place-value, the Hindu numerals would have been no better than many others of the same kind, and would not have been adopted by all the civilised peoples of the world. "The importance of the creation of the zero mark," says Professor Halsted, "can never be exaggerated. This giving to airy nothing, not merely a local habitation and a name, a picture, a symbol, but helpful power, is the characteristic of the Hindu race whence it sprang.