Why was the Mayan form of mathematics the most complex and accurate of any civilization of their time 1 It was based on the number 10.
2 They understood the concept of zero.
3 They were able to perform complex trigonometry formulas.
4 They did not need the concept of place value.

Maya mathematics constituted the most sophisticated mathematical system ever developed in the Americas. The Maya counting system required only three symbols: a dot representing a value of one, a bar representing five, and a shell representing zero. These three symbols were used in various combinations, to keep track of calendar events both past and future, and so that even uneducated people could do the simple arithmetic needed for trade and commerce. That the Maya understood the value of zero is remarkable - most of the world's civilizations had no concept of zero at that time.

The Maya used the vigesimal system for their calculations - a system based on 20 rather than 10. This means that instead of the 1, 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 of our mathematical system, the Maya used 1, 20, 400, 8,000 and 160,000.

Maya numbers, including calendar dates, were written from bottom to top, rather than horizontally. As an example of how they worked, three was represented by three dots in a horizontal row; 12 was two bars with two dots on top; and 19 was three bars with four dots on top. Numbers larger than 19 were represented by the same kind of sequence, but a dot was placed above the number for each group of 20. Thirty-two, for example, consisted of the symbols for 12, with a dot on top of the whole thing representing an additional group of 20.

20 years ago

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