The Number Concept: Its Origin and DevelopmentConant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
History
The Number Concept: Its Origin and Development
Conant, Levi L. (Levi Leonard)
Number concept
To the unobservant eye this scale would certainly appear to contain no more
than a trace of the vigesimal in its structure. But Dr. Boas, who is one of
the most careful and accurate of investigators, says in his comment on this
system: "It will be seen at once that this system is quinary-vigesimal....
In 20 we find the word _gyat_, man. The hundreds are identical with the
numerals used in counting men (see p. 87), and then the quinary-vigesimal
system is most evident."
RIO NORTE INDIANS.[362]
20. taiguaco.
30. taiguaco co juyopamauj ajte = 20 + 2 x 5.
40. taiguaco ajte = 20 x 2.
50. taiguaco ajte co juyopamauj ajte = 20 x 2 + 5 x 2.
CARIBS OF ESSIQUIBO, GUIANA
10. oween-abatoro.
20. owee-carena = 1 person.
40. oko-carena = 2 persons.
60. oroowa-carena = 3 persons.
OTOMI
10. ra-tta.
20. na-te.
30. na-te-m'a-ratta = 20 + 10.
40. yo-te = 2 x 30.
50. yote-m'a-ratta = 2 x 20 + 10.
60. hiu-te = 3 x 20.
70. hiute-m'a-ratta = 3 x 20 + 10.
80. gooho-rate = 4 x 20.
90. gooho-rate-m'a ratta = 4 x 20 + 10.
100. cytta-te = 5 x 20,
or nanthebe = 1 x 100.
MAYA, YUCATAN.[363]
1. hun.
10. lahun = it is finished.
20. hunkal = a measure, or more correctly, a fastening together.
30. lahucakal = 40 - 10?
40. cakal = 2 x 20.
50. lahuyoxkal = 60 - 10.
60. oxkal = 3 x 20.
70. lahucankal = 80 - 10.
80. cankal = 4 x 20.
90. lahuyokal = 100 - 10.
100. hokal = 5 x 20.
110. lahu uackal = 120 - 10.
120. uackal = 6 x 20.
130. lahu uuckal = 140 - 10.
140. uuckal = 7 x 20.
200. lahuncal = 10 x 20.
300. holhukal = 15 x 20.
400. hunbak = 1 tying around.
500. hotubak.
600. lahutubak
800. calbak = 2 x 400.
900. hotu yoxbak.
1000. lahuyoxbak.
1200. oxbak = 3 x 400.
2000. capic (modern).
8000. hunpic = 1 sack.
16,000. ca pic (ancient).
160,000. calab = a filling full
3,200,000. kinchil.
64,000,000. hunalau.
In the Maya scale we have one of the best and most extended examples of
vigesimal numeration ever developed by any race. To show in a more striking
and forcible manner the perfect regularity of the system, the following
tabulation is made of the various Maya units, which will correspond to the
"10 units make one ten, 10 tens make one hundred, 10 hundreds make one
thousand," etc., which old-fashioned arithmetic compelled us to learn in
childhood. The scale is just as regular by twenties in Maya as by tens in
English. It is[364]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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