Maya numerals

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Mayan numerals.

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The Pre-Columbian Maya civilization used a vigesimal (base-twenty) numeral system.

The numerals are made up of three symbols; zero (shell shape), one (a dot) and five (a bar).

For example, nineteen (19) is written as four dots in a horizontal row above three horizontal lines stacked upon each other.

1 Numbers above 19
2 Addition and Subtraction
3 In the calendar
4 External link
5 Notes

[edit] Numbers above 19


400s
20s
1s
	33	429	5125

Numbers after 19 were written vertically down in powers of twenty. For example, thirty-three would be written as one dot above three dots, which are in turn atop two lines. The first dot represents "one twenty" or "1×20", which is added to three dots and two bars, or thirteen. Therefore, (1×20) + 13 = 33. Upon reaching 400, another row is started. The number 429 would be written as one dot above one dot above four dots and a bar, or (1×400) + (1×20) + 9 = 429. The powers of twenty are digits, just as the Arabic numeral system uses powers of tens. ^[1]

Other than the bar and dot notation, Maya numerals can be illustrated by face type glyphs. The face glyph for a number represents the deity associated with the number. These face number glyphs were rarely used, and are mostly seen only on some of the most elaborate monumental carving.

[edit] Addition and Subtraction

Adding and subtracting numbers using Maya numerals is very simple.
To perform simple arithmetic, combine the numeric symbol for addition:

Similarly with subtraction, remove the numeric symbol subtracted:

[edit] In the calendar

In the "Long Count" portion of the Maya calendar, a variation on the strictly vigesimal numbering is used. The Long Count changes in the second place value; it is not 20×20 = 400, as would otherwise be expected, but 18×20, so that one dot over two zeros signifies 360. This is supposed to be because 360 is roughly the number of days in a year. (Some hypothesize that this was an early approximation to the number of days in the solar year, although the Maya had a quite accurate calculation of 365.2422 days for the solar year at least since the early Classic era).^{[citation needed]} Subsequent place values return to base-twenty.