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How might the use of Arabic numerals be connected to Arabian trade?

User YScharf
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User Jsfan
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Arabic numerals, also known as Hindu-Arabic numerals, are a decimal numeral system that originated in India, but were later transmitted to the Islamic world through trade and commerce. The use of Arabic numerals in the Islamic world was connected to the rise of Arab trade and commerce, which brought Arab merchants into contact with other cultures and civilizations, such as India. The Indian decimal number system was much more efficient than the traditional Roman numeral system and the cumbersome method of using Greek-alphabet letters, used by the Byzantine empire, to represent numbers.

During the Middle Ages, the Arab traders brought the Indian numerals to the Islamic world and by the 9th century, the Arabic numeral system was in common use in the Arab world. The system was further adopted by the Islamic scholars and scientists, who used it in their mathematical and astronomical works, thus the decimal system and numerals became widely diffused and adopted throughout the Islamic world and Europe, by the 12th century.

The use of Arabic numerals not only made arithmetic calculations much easier, but also facilitated trade and commerce, as merchants could now keep accurate records of transactions. Furthermore, the widespread use of Arabic numerals in the Islamic world made it easier for merchants to trade with other cultures and regions that used the same numerals, further increasing the reach and influence of Arab trade.

In summary, the use of Arabic numerals was connected to Arabian trade as Arab merchants bring it through the Silk Road from India and introduce it to the Islamic World. it increased the efficiency of record-keeping and arithmetic in trade and commerce, facilitated trade with other cultures, and contributed to the spread of Arabic culture and civilization.

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