May 15, 2020 19:00:00

What is the 'method of counting numbers from 0 to 9999 using only the fingers of both hands' created by the ancient Romans?

Many people use one finger to count a number when asked, 'Use both fingers to count numbers.' In this How to count, to be counted using both hands is up to 0 to 10, more than to count the number of, but must be devised, such as using the toes,

ancient Rome of the people Seems to have devised 'a method of counting numbers from 0 to 9999 using only the fingers of both hands'.

Roman Finger Counting – Tookmund – A place for my random thoughts about software
https://tookmund.com/2020/05/roman-finger-counting

First of all, use only your left hand to represent numbers from 0 to 99. In this way, the state where all the fingers of the left hand are extended represents '0'.

The number '1-9' is expressed using the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of the left hand. '1' is represented by bending the little finger near the second joint in the middle.

'2' bends the ring finger in the vicinity of the second joint in addition to the little finger ...

'3' also adds the middle finger to this. If you are too strict about bending at the second joint, your fingers will hurt, so just be careful not to bend from the root, and after that it is OK to bend gently.

'4' is expressed by extending the little finger from the state of '3'.

To represent '5', extend the ring finger in addition to the little finger ...

“6” is expressed by raising the middle finger from the state of “5” and bending the ring finger from the second joint instead.

The expression of '7' '8' '9' is similar to the expression of '1' '2' '3', but this time the point is to bend the finger from the third joint at the base. '7' looks something like this ...

The expression of '8' is like this.

The following form represents '9'. Now you can count the number of '0-9' using only the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of your left hand. From this point onward, all digits of one's place will be represented only by the little finger, ring finger and middle finger of the left hand.

Then use the remaining thumb and index finger to indicate the tens place. As shown in this picture, when the thumb and index finger are both extended, the tens place is '0'.

To represent a “10”, touch the first nail of the thumb with the index fingernail.

From an easy-to-understand angle, it looks like this.

'20' brings your thumb between your index and middle fingers.

'30' means that the nails of the thumb and forefinger are attached ...

From an easy-to-understand angle, it looks like an OK sign.

For '40', bend your index finger toward the palm of your hand and attach your thumb between the first and second joints of your index finger.

To indicate '50', bend your thumb toward the palm of your hand.

For '60', keep your thumb extended and wrap your thumb around your index finger.

'70' is touched between the 1st and 2nd joints of the index finger with the thumb nail.

In “80”, bring your thumb to the back of your index finger and touch it with the belly of your thumb between the first and second joints of your index finger. Your fingers will be cramped, but this is also because the fingers represent large numbers.

The '90' can be represented by touching the second joint at the base of the thumb with the nail of the index finger. With this, it is possible to count the numbers '0 to 99' using only your left hand.

For example, to represent '29', match the '9' finger that bends the little finger, the ring finger, and the middle finger from the joint of the root with the '20' finger that brought the thumb between the index finger and the middle finger. ..

'66' looks something like this.

'72' will look like this. My fingers are likely to hurt, but it seems that I can somehow distinguish them.

Use your right hand to add hundreds and thousands. The method of bending the fingers of the right hand is the same as that of the left hand. The left hand '1' corresponds to the right hand '100' and the left hand '70' corresponds to the right hand '7000'. For example, if you represent '600' with your right hand, it looks like this ...

It becomes like this when it is '4000'.

'9800' is like this.

Actually combining the left and right hands to represent '5085' is like this.

'1937' is this.

When it is '9999', it looks like 'Good job'.

How to express numbers that are above the ancient Romans were using is, who died in 735 years Bede England Christian clergy that what was wrote in a book called 'De computo vel loquela digitorum'. In addition, Venerabilis seems to describe a method of expressing a number of 1000 or more by moving the position of the arm, but it is possible that this is invented by Venerabilis.

The truth of the counting method using the arm is unknown, but it seems that the counting method using the left hand and the right hand was actually used from many books left by the ancient Romans. For example, Juvenal, an ancient Roman satire writer, wrote that 'he is a happy man who has died many times. He is counting his years with his right hand.' It is consistent with counting years showing numbers above 100.