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MATHS-CLASSICS PROJECT
ASSIGNMENT 3 : THE GREEK NUMBER SYSTEMS
You will need to have looked at Assignment 2 before starting this one. Remind yourself of The Greek Alphabet. [http://people.msoe.edu/~tritt/greek.aspl]
Greek Numbers : 1. The Classical age
This system combined a tallying idea with the first letter of the word for various of the numbers.
| = 1 || = 2 ||| = 3 |||| = 4.
= 5
This is because
Write down the Greek numbers for 7, 8, and 9.
= 10
Write down, briefly, why you think they used this symbol.
Can you work out the Greek way of writing all the numbers from 11 to 49 ?
= 50 from 5 x 10
= 100. Can you say why you think this was used?
Write down the Greek for 150 and 200
= 500 from 5 x 100
= 1000 from chilioi
= 10 000 from myrias
You should now be able to answer the following:
What number is this !! Remember that the largest number is always on the left.
Can you write 2001 using this system ?
Chose any special or favorite numbers of you own and write them using this system.
Greek Numbers 2 : The Alexandrian Age
You'll need your completed version of the Greek alphabet that you made for Assignment 2
In this system each letter of the full alphabet represents a numeral - yours will have three letters missing.
The letters for 6, 90 and 900 are not in the normal Greek alphabet that was used at the time, ( c. 250 BC ). They are called digamma F , koppa
and sampi
To write 1, 2, 3 etc we use a' b' g' etc (alpha, sport a, gamma followed by a vertical dash) - remember 6 will be F '
To write 11 , 12 etc. we use ia' (iota alpha followed by a vertical dash) , ib' , ...
Can you write down the Greek for 23, 69, 195 , 999 ?
For numbers larger than 999, a dash is written below the letter.
so 1000, 2000, etc are written a, b, ...
Can you write 2001 in Greek numbers ?
Have you any favourite or special numbers that you can write in Greek ?
Have you any comments to make about this numbering system ?
The Greek Pages are written and designed by
Andrew Wilson
.