The History of Counting

In this book, it gives r adders the history of counting and insight on how many different people count differently around the world. For example the Veddas of Sri Lanka could using only their body parts. Certain part s of the body corresponds to a certain number, the left eye is number thirteen. The highest number they can go up to is twenty-seven. I enjoyed reading this book because it gave me a new perspective on how people use math everyday.

Retelling: Author and anthropologist, Schmandt-Besserat describes how systems for counting evolved out of necessity in different civilizations and how each system had different strengths and weaknesses. Learn about cultures that use systems other than the hindu-arabic system today: the Veddas, the Paiela, and the Gilyaks. Then learn about ancient developments in the middle east: the Sumerians and the Phoenicians. Then the Greek and Roman system and how and why they adopted our modern system instead.

Thoughts and Feelings: It's very exciting to me to learn that the true origin of the hindu-arabic system of numbers is unknown but the first example was written in sanscrit in India. I like unknowns. They mean there is more puzzle pieces to show more be discovered and/or connected.

I particularly enjoyed how this author emphasized that innovations in numbers were born out of need. I often feel that, because our abstract numbers are so versatile, we can teach them without recognizing or enforcing their practicality in our culture and civilization. show less

This book was wonderful! I learned so many things about the origins of numbers that I never knew. I guess I never really thought about where our concept of counting came from. I loved the way this book is organized and the illustrations explaining historical concepts that would otherwise be difficult to imagine. This book is going into my top children's books. I honestly couldn't recommend this book more both in a classroom setting and home setting. The fact that interested me the most was the body counting used by the Paiela in Papua New Guinea. Their highest number is twenty- eight and each part of the body represents a number.

Thrift store find. ?�Surprisingly wonderful. ?áReads as smoothly as a picture-book stories, with art that fills the page and adds depth and clarity to each concept. ?áGoes beyond the basics we adults think we know. ?á

Do you know about body counting? ?áFor the Paiela of Papua New Guinea, the left pinkie represents '1,' left ring finger = '2,' left ear = 12, all the way to right pinkie which is 27. ?áSo, I'll trade you left wrist fish for left pinkie shoes....

Did you know the Arabs called 'Arabic numerals' 'Hindu numerals?' ?áThe earliest number system documented, that includes zero and looks like our number system, is Sanskrit and is 1500 years old. ?áDid you know it took centuries for Europeans to accept this new show more numbering system, and it wasn't fully accepted until about 1650? ?áI guess that means that the cargo manifest of the Mayflower could just as likely have been written in Roman numerals? ?á(Though apparently merchants etc. caught on the Arabic numerals more quickly, as the document is in modern notation:?áhttps://archive.org/stream/themayflowerandh04105gut/mf05v10.txt.)" show less

This is a story on the history of counting, and how people all over the world use different methods to count. For example the Peiela of Papua New Guinea use “body counting” which is where different spots on their body correlate to certain numbers, for 16 they would point to their right ear. The method most people use today is “abstract counting” . This would be a great book to read to kids because not only does it tell the history of how we count but it shows kids there are many cultures that count differently.

The History of Counting is a very informative picture book that goes into full detail about not just the history of counting, but also how other cultures go about counting. The author does a great job in making connections to more modern uses of numbers that children would be able to relate to such as the numbers on the back of sports jerseys. I would recommend this book strictly to older children purely because of the reading level, though would make an exception if a gifted child showed a great interest in math and had a parent or guardian willing to read it to them.

This book, as it name implies, covers the history of counting. It explains how it took thousands of years for our system of counting to become what it is today. Most peoples use a ten digit system same as us but there are a few that still do not. Some people groups use simple markers or chips to count and others point to body parts rather than use words for numbers.

The number system began using simple counters or pebbles to represent a one for one system to different shaped markers depending on what was being counted. Notches on bones have been found that were used to keep count as well. The Sumerians developed symbols to represent amounts or numbers. As life moved from simple to complex, as did the need for a more complex number show more system. Out of necessity came invention.

The Phoenicians used letters to represent numbers and used a base ten system as opposed to the base 60 system that the Sumerians used. Greeks took it a little further and the Romans developed what we now know today as Roman numerals. Arabic numerals are what we use today but was brought to Europe by Arabs from India. They make computing and counting easier. It is repetitive and has a place value system that includes zero.

The illustrations in this book are wonderful and truly depict the concepts being expressed by the author. It is a great quick history into the history of numbers. I found the little known facts intriguing. and it kept me reading to see the next step along the way to our current system.

This book can be used in many ways in the classroom. It can be used in 3rd grade just to expose students to other ways of thinking and counting as well as other cultures and the movement from simple to complex. 4th and 5th graders learning Roman numerals would also find it intriguing to see how they were a step in the path to our current system and how they are both base ten but also the importance of zero when it comes to computing. For 6th grade, this can be used as a jumping point for an assignment to come up with a unique counting system or way of keeping a count of books or students in a class, or even how many CD's or songs on their iPod they have. It will give students a deeper understanding of why numbers and counting are so important. show less