Eastern Arabic numerals
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Arabic numerals (also called Arabic-Indic numerals and Arabic Eastern Numerals) are the symbols ( - - - - - - - - - ) used to represent the Hindu-Arabic numeral system
in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet
in the countries of the Arab world
.
).
countries, excluding Egypt
and Sudan
), Western Arabic numerals
(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) are used; in medieval times, a slightly different set (from which, via Italy
, Western "Arabic numerals" derive) was used. The numerals are arranged with their lowest value digit to the right, with higher value positions added to the left. This arrangement was adopted identically into the numerals as used in Europe
. The Latin alphabet
runs from left to right, unlike the Arabic alphabet. Traditionally in Arabic and in European languages, numbers were read with the smallest element first ("four-and-twenty" instead of "twenty-four"). This practise continued in the English language commonly until the middle 16th century, and occasionally until the late 19th century. Presently, this continues to be the usual application in Arabic and some European languages ("vierentwintig" in Dutch or "vierundzwanzig" in German), while in some other European languages the element on the left now goes first ("twenty-four" in English or "vingt-quatre" in French). There is no conflict unless numerical layout is necessary, as is the case for arithmetic problems (as in simple addition or multiplication) and lists of numbers, which tend to be justified at the decimal point/comma, even in European languages.
Hindu-Arabic numeral system
The Hindu–Arabic numeral system or Hindu numeral system is a positional decimal numeral system developed between the 1st and 5th centuries by Indian mathematicians, adopted by Persian and Arab mathematicians , and spread to the western world...
in conjunction with the Arabic alphabet
Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
in the countries of the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
.
Other names
They are sometimes also called "Indic Numerals" in English. However, this nomenclature is sometimes discouraged as it leads to confusion with the numerals used in the scripts of India (see Indian numeralsIndian numerals
Most of the positional base 10 numeral systems in the world have originated from India, where the concept of positional numeration was first developed...
).
Numerals
There is substantial variation in usage of glyphs for the Eastern Arabic-Indic digits, especially for the digits four, five, and six.- Each number in the Persian variant has a different unicodeUnicodeUnicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems...
point even if it looks identical to the Eastern Arabic numeral counterpart.
| Western Arabic | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Arabic | ||||||||||
| Persian variant |
North Africa
In most of present-day North Africa (the MaghrebMaghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...
countries, excluding Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
), Western Arabic numerals
Arabic numerals
Arabic numerals or Hindu numerals or Hindu-Arabic numerals or Indo-Arabic numerals are the ten digits . They are descended from the Hindu-Arabic numeral system developed by Indian mathematicians, in which a sequence of digits such as "975" is read as a numeral...
(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) are used; in medieval times, a slightly different set (from which, via Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Western "Arabic numerals" derive) was used. The numerals are arranged with their lowest value digit to the right, with higher value positions added to the left. This arrangement was adopted identically into the numerals as used in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
runs from left to right, unlike the Arabic alphabet. Traditionally in Arabic and in European languages, numbers were read with the smallest element first ("four-and-twenty" instead of "twenty-four"). This practise continued in the English language commonly until the middle 16th century, and occasionally until the late 19th century. Presently, this continues to be the usual application in Arabic and some European languages ("vierentwintig" in Dutch or "vierundzwanzig" in German), while in some other European languages the element on the left now goes first ("twenty-four" in English or "vingt-quatre" in French). There is no conflict unless numerical layout is necessary, as is the case for arithmetic problems (as in simple addition or multiplication) and lists of numbers, which tend to be justified at the decimal point/comma, even in European languages.