Indian Mathematics c9.21

c9.21

*(d) The word-symbol notation.*—A notation that became extraordinarily popular in India and is still in use was introduced about the ninth century, possibly from the East. In this notation any word that connotes the idea of a number may be used to denote that number: *e.g.* Two may be expressed by *nayana*, the eyes, or *karṇa*, the ears, etc.; seven by *aśva*, the horses (of the sun); fifteen by *tithi*, the lunar days (of the half month); twenty by *nakha*, the nails (of the hands and feet); twenty-seven by *nakshatra* the lunar mansions; thirty-two by *danta*, the teeth; etc., etc.