Mysteries of vernacular: Zero - Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel

Summary

The script explores the evolution of the concept of zero. It traces back to early counting methods with notches on bones 37,000 years ago, then to Mesopotamia's base-60 system around 2500 B.C. The critical development occurred in 7th-century India, where a dot was used as a placeholder, evolving into today's zero symbol. Derived from Arabic 'safira' meaning empty, 'zero' entered English in the 17th century. Its counterpart 'cipher,' also meaning empty, shifted to denote codes due to early cryptographic practices involving letters and numbers.

Takeaways

• 🔢 Zero represents the absence of units.
• 🗺️ The earliest known counting dates back to approximately 37,000 years ago, with notches in bone.
• 📚 The first written number system emerged in Mesopotamia around 2500 B.C., using units like one, ten, and sixty.
• 🕰️ It took three millennia for the concept of zero to develop in seventh-century India.
• 🇮🇳 Indian mathematicians used a dot as a placeholder and number, which evolved into the modern zero symbol.
• 🌐 The word 'zero' has its roots in the Arabic word 'safira', meaning empty.
• 📖 'Zero' entered the English language in the seventeenth century, borrowed from Italian.
• 🔐 A related term, 'cipher', also derived from Arabic, originally meant 'empty' but later described codes.
• 🔄 Early codes often used complex substitutions between letters and numbers, influencing the term 'cipher'.
• ♾️ Zero continues to symbolize the number that represents nothing.

Q & A

What is the earliest known archaeological evidence of counting?

The earliest known archaeological evidence of counting dates back approximately 37,000 years and consists of a series of notches in bone.

When did the first written number system begin to take form?

The first written number system began to take form around 2500 B.C. in Mesopotamia.

What units were used in the early Mesopotamian number system?

The early Mesopotamian number system used the units one, ten, and sixty.

In which century did the concept of zero as a placeholder emerge in India?

The concept of zero as a placeholder emerged in seventh century India.

What was used by Indian mathematicians to distinguish between numbers like 25, 205, and 250?

Indian mathematicians used a single dot to distinguish between numbers like 25, 205, and 250.

How did the single dot used in India eventually evolve?

The single dot used in India eventually evolved into the symbol we recognize as zero today.

What is the origin of the word 'zero'?

The word 'zero' comes from the Arabic word 'sifr', which means 'empty'.

How did the word 'zero' enter the English language?

The word 'zero' entered the English language in the seventeenth century.

What is the relationship between the words 'zero' and 'cipher'?

Both 'zero' and 'cipher' share an Arabic root and originally meant 'empty', but 'cipher' later came to describe a code.

Why did 'cipher' come to describe a code?

'Cipher' came to describe a code because early codes often used complicated substitutions between letters and numbers.

How does zero continue to represent the concept of 'nothing'?

Zero continues to represent the concept of 'nothing' as it is the number that indicates an absence of units.