CHAPTER 1

The Numeration
System
 Types of Numeration Systems
(1) Additive Systems
■The additive system is one of the oldest and the most primitive numeration
systems dating from about 3000 B.C.
■One of the earliest was the Egyptian system were a different symbol for 1,
10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 100,000, and 1,000,000 and then the number was
formed by simply adding them together. Because there are symbols, order or
placement of the symbols does not matter.
■The main problem with an additive system is that some numbers must be
expressed using many symbols. Also, although addition and subtraction are
easy, multiplication and division are not!
Ancient Egyptian Numeration-Simple Grouping
Symbol Number Description
Staff/vertical
stroke

Heel bone/arch
Scroll/coiled rope
Lotus flower
Pointed Finger
Whale/Tadpole
Astonished Person
 So, with an additive system:

Or to write
43,628 as an Egyptian numeral --
(2) Multiplicative Systems
Roman Numerals ■ Similar to the Egyptian system,
MC = 1000 + 100 = 1100. However, placement
is important in this system.
■ Addition works from the right, but
subtraction works from the left. Therefore,
MC = 1000, but CM = 1000 - 100 = 900.
■ The Roman system had an advantage in that
it made use of the multiplicative principle
for numbers only over 1000. Placing a bar
over the symbol(s) had the effect of
multiplying the number by 1000. For
example:
 (3) Ciphered Systems
■ Ciphered numeration systems are based on many different symbols, and the best
example of that is the Ionic Greek systems. Other ciphered systems include the
Hebrew, the Coptic, the Syrian, and early Arabic. The Ionic Greek system used letters
of their alphabets for numerals and was developed as early as the Egyptian system
around 3000 B.C.

To multiply, the system of an

apostrophe ( ' ) was placed above a
number which multiplied that
number by 1000. So, for example:
would equal 8 x 1000 = 8000.
(4) Place-Value or Positional-Value Systems
■ The place-value system is the most commonly used numeration system today.
■ The Hindu-Arabic numeration system is the one used throughout much of the
Western Hemisphere. The oldest place-value system was the Babylonian system
which was based on 60 instead of 10. Below are the comparable positional values
for the Hindu-Arabic system and the Babylonian system:

■ We retain the Babylonian system in the recording of time and the position as in
degrees in a circle.
Place Value Chart
Example 1
Identifying Place Values
Identify the place value of the 7 in each whole number.

a. 27 b. 78 c. 759

Notice that the value of 7 in each number is different, depending on its location (place) in the number.

7 ones 7 tens 7 hundreds

Example 2
Identifying Place Values

Identify the place value of each digit in the number 246,981.

2 4 6 , 9 8 1

1 one
8 tens
9 hundreds
6 thousands
4 ten-thousands
2 hundred-thousands
Example 3
Knowing the Period or Group Names

Write the digits in each period of 7,123,654,893.

7,123,654,893

7 billions

123 millions
654 thousands

893 ones
Example 4
Writing Numbers in Words

Write each number in words.

a. 63
This number means 6 tens and 3 ones, or 60 ones and 3 ones.
Write the number as sixty-three.

b. 81
eighty-one
Example 4
Writing Numbers in Words

Write each number in words.

c. 946
nine hundred forty-six

d. 703
seven hundred three
Example 5
Writing Numbers in Words by Using
Period Names
Write each number in words.

a. 623,829
six hundred twenty-three thousand, eight hundred twenty-nine

Number in period Name of Number in period

b. 9217 period (not necessary to
write “ones”)
nine thousand, two hundred seventeen

Name of period
Example 5
Writing Numbers in Words by Using
Period Names
Write each number in words.

c. 222,458,082
two hundred twenty-two million, four hundred fifty-eight
thousand, eighty-two

d. 19,000,019,000
nineteen billion, nineteen thousand
Example 6
Writing Numbers in Digits

Rewrite each number using digits.

a. five thousand, thirty-one

5031

b. three hundred forty-two thousand, eight hundred thirteen

342,813
c. four million, three hundred forty-nine
4,000,349

Zeros indicate there are no thousands.

Example 7
Reading a Table

Use the table to find the average salary in 2010, and write the number in words.

Twenty-five thousand, seven hundred forty-three dollars

 Exercises:
A. Write the following in figures.
1) Four hundred sixty five thousand thirty two
2) Twenty five thousand two hundred fourteen
3) Fifteen million five
4) Seven hundred thirteen billion forty seven thousand eighteen
5) Three trillion thirty one billion one million eleven thousand
eight
 Exercises:
B. Write the following in words.
1)34, 012
2)5,032,109
3)35,007,012,001
4)617,012,010,022
5)34,056,100,900,005