[Home]History of Zero

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Revision 14 . . December 3, 2001 6:00 am by AxelBoldt
Revision 13 . . December 3, 2001 4:00 am by Josh Grosse [Tried to distinguish numeral and number]
Revision 12 . . December 3, 2001 3:58 am by ManningBartlett [weird assertion removed]
Revision 11 . . (edit) December 3, 2001 3:52 am by (logged).191.188.xxx
Revision 10 . . December 3, 2001 3:50 am by (logged).123.179.xxx [*Added a quote from a poster I saw in High School, should be verified, though.]
Revision 9 . . December 3, 2001 3:05 am by AxelBoldt [definition.]
Revision 8 . . December 3, 2001 2:56 am by Zundark [0/x]
Revision 7 . . December 3, 2001 2:53 am by Zundark [some rewriting]
Revision 6 . . December 2, 2001 11:18 pm by The Epopt [the term is "identity element," not "neutral element"]
Revision 5 . . (edit) December 2, 2001 11:01 pm by Sodium [wording]
Revision 4 . . December 2, 2001 10:20 pm by Magnus Manske [+ "year" 0]
Revision 3 . . (edit) December 2, 2001 10:18 pm by Zundark [minor copyediting]
Revision 2 . . December 2, 2001 10:13 pm by Zundark [corrections]
Revision 1 . . December 2, 2001 9:59 pm by Magnus Manske [Mathematics to the rescue here!]
  

Difference (from prior major revision) (no other diffs)

Changed: 1,2c1,2
Zero (0) is the number which is the size of the empty set. The numeral? zero is used in [positional number systems]?, where the position of a digit signifies its value, and the digit zero is used to skip a position. This use was introduced into mathematics relatively late, during the early 800s in Indian books. The definition originally used was, "In subtraction, when nothing is left over, write a dot to keep the place."
Prior mathematical systems, such as the Babylonian or Greek, did not use zero at all, but still succeded quite well for everyday purposes. The number zero was not accepted until later still.
Zero (0) is both a number and a numeral?. The number zero is the size of the empty set: if you don't have any apples, then you have zero apples. The numeral or digit zero is used in [positional number systems]?, where the position of a digit signifies its value, with successive postitions having higher values, and the digit zero is used to skip a position. This use was introduced into mathematics relatively late, during the early 800s in Indian books.
Prior number systems, such as the Babylonian or Greek, were not positional and did not use the digit zero at all, but still succeeded quite well for everyday purposes. The number zero was not accepted until later still.

Changed: 4c4
The following are some basic rules for dealing with zero.
The following are some basic rules for dealing with the number zero.

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