Ancient Number Systems
Egyptian, Babylonian and Mayan ways of writing numbers.
Key idea
Egyptian, Babylonian and Mayan ways of writing numbers.
In depth
Cultures built number systems with different ideas: Egyptians used tallies and symbols with no place value, Babylonians used base 60 (the origin of our minutes and seconds), and Mayans used base 20. Place value and zero came later.
Worked example
The Babylonian 1,30 in base 60 is 1×60 + 30 = 90.
Real-world uses
- Reading Roman and Egyptian inscriptions
- Comparing how cultures counted and recorded trade
Common mistake
Assuming every system has a zero. Many did not.
How to learn this
- Read the key idea and say it in your own words.
- Work through the worked example, then try a similar problem.
- Use the interactive lesson’s visual and mini-quiz to check the pattern.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ancient Number Systems?
Egyptian, Babylonian and Mayan ways of writing numbers. It is a topic at the intermediate level in Arithmetic & Number Sense.
Where is Ancient Number Systems used in real life?
Real-world examples: Reading Roman and Egyptian inscriptions; Comparing how cultures counted and recorded trade.
What should I learn before Ancient Number Systems?
Make sure you are comfortable with Lattice and Peasant Multiplication, the previous topic in Arithmetic & Number Sense.
What is a common mistake with Ancient Number Systems?
Assuming every system has a zero. Many did not.
How can I practise Ancient Number Systems?
Open the interactive lesson, play with the visual, then answer the three-question mini-quiz. Getting two right marks the topic complete.
What comes after Ancient Number Systems?
Move on to Egyptian Fractions next.
Related intermediate topics in Arithmetic & Number Sense
- Long Multiplication – Multiply by each digit of the multiplier, shift by place value, then add partial products.
- Long Division – Divide, multiply, subtract and bring down repeatedly to get the quotient.
- Factors and Multiples – Factors divide a number exactly; multiples are its products with whole numbers.
- Divisibility Rules – Quick tests: by 2 last digit even, by 3 digit-sum divisible by 3, by 5 ends 0/5, by 9 digit-sum divisible by 9.
- Prime Numbers – A prime has exactly two positive divisors: 1 and itself.
- Composite Numbers – Numbers greater than 1 with more than two factors.