According to the Alphabet Effect, one impact that alphabetic writing had was that it led to the invention of zero, the place number system, negative numbers, and algebra by Hindu and Buddhist mathematicians in India 2000 years ago. These ideas were picked up by Arab mathematicians and scientists and eventually made their way to Europe 1400 years later.
Great U! It's amazing that it took so long for the concept of zero to make it to the West. Also amazing is that a few years ago a grey parrot was able to come up with the same concept by himself!
@nicolecampbell Take a short break from challenges!! I've done 4 in a row and I'd like to shoot just any old thing for a change! @inertie Thanks Inertia! U are a delight!! @cimes1 Thanks Carole- a hinge on Buster. @woot Thanks Davide! @alia_801 Thanks Alia! I think it is the symbol for 0, not necessarily the "absence of a total", if that makes any sense. I know from my studies that in ancient Hebrew they didn't use numbers like we do, but the letter of the alphabet that matched the total of the items. So, for example, if there was 1 camel, the 1 was represented by an aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It's been a little tricky condensing some of this info. But it doesn't surprise me that a parrot was that smart either- after all they are wonderful at mimicking words and sounds! So why not be able to figure out numerical concepts too!
@kimmistephens thanks Kimmi!
@karenann thanks Karenann!
@dmariewms thank you Marie- yes, it is! Good eye!
@sarasdadandmom Thanks Terry!
@digitalrn thanks Rick- I just hope I have enough interesting facts to finish out the letters!
@mrssmith thanks Carla!
@httpgeffed thank YOU Colleen!
@inertie Thanks Inertia! U are a delight!!
@cimes1 Thanks Carole- a hinge on Buster.
@woot Thanks Davide!
@alia_801 Thanks Alia! I think it is the symbol for 0, not necessarily the "absence of a total", if that makes any sense. I know from my studies that in ancient Hebrew they didn't use numbers like we do, but the letter of the alphabet that matched the total of the items. So, for example, if there was 1 camel, the 1 was represented by an aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It's been a little tricky condensing some of this info. But it doesn't surprise me that a parrot was that smart either- after all they are wonderful at mimicking words and sounds! So why not be able to figure out numerical concepts too!