Fibonacci Master MATHEMATICIAN of the Middle Ages
This Italian number cruncher shared a system, showed a sequence, and left a legacy.
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Leonardo of Pisa
Fibonacci was born Leonardo of Pisa in Italy in about 1170. His father was a successful MERCHANT who took his son to trading posts in north Africa. Fibonacci learned about the HinduArabic numbers when he visited Bugia, now in Algeria.
Europe Pisa Bugia
Africa
Roman numbers featured complex and confusing letters of the alphabet. Hindu-Arabic numbers made calculations simpler.
New system On his return to Pisa, Fibonacci introduced the Hindu-Arabic number system to Europe. This counting system, which uses numerals 0 to 9, is still used today. People could see its advantages over existing Roman numbers, so the Hindu-Arabic system was adopted across the CONTINENT.
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n this ed marks o been h tc a r c s e h T may have ancient boneresent numbers. used to rep
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In ancient times, numbers were counted out using simple tally systems. Making marks on clay or lining up sticks and stones could represent animal herds or passing days.
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About 5,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians invented one of the first number systems. These numerals were written as a series of symbols.
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