Arabic Numerals Quiz

Arabic numerals are the ten symbols used to write decimal numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and are also used for writing numbers in other systems such as octal, and for writing identifiers such as computer symbols, trademarks, or license plates. They are also called Western Arabic numerals, Ghubār numerals, Hindu-Arabic numerals, Western digits, Latin digits, or European digits. Europeans learned of Arabic numerals about the 10th century, though their spread was a gradual process. Two centuries later, in the Algerian city of Béjaïa, the Italian scholar Fibonacci first encountered the numerals; his work was crucial in making them known throughout Europe. Fibonacci's introduction coincided with Europe's commercial revolution of the 12th and 13th centuries, centered in Italy. By the mid-16th century, Arabic numerals were in common use in most of Europe. Prior to the introduction of Arabic numerals, Cyrillic numerals, derived from the Cyrillic alphabet, were used by South and East Slavic peoples. Chinese numeral systems that used positional notation were in use in China prior to the introduction of Arabic numerals, and some were introduced to medieval China by the Muslim Hui people. The ten Arabic numerals are encoded in virtually every character set designed for electric, radio, and digital communication, such as Morse code.