People face figures every day. These are house numbers, phones, price tags in shop, numbers in the calendar and numbers of transport routes. There are probably no industry and the vital sphere which would do without figures. They surround the person everywhere, and it is possible to tell with confidence that figures rule the world. But very few people ever thought why people began to designate objects by figures.
The word "figure" comes from Arab "сыфр" that in translation means "zero". People got used to give numbers Arab, but actually it would be more correct to call them Indian. The first figures appeared in India, from there passed to Arabs, and then began to appear also in Europe.
Account history
Many scientists explain origin of figures differently. One of hypotheses is as follows: the size of value of figure depends on quantity of the corners traced at its writing. Initially Arab figures were angular, almost same what use for writing of the index on an envelope. "Face value" also depended on quantity of corners. Therefore figure 0 has the oval form and does not contain corners. Over time corners were smoothed, and figures became such what got used to see them today.
In prehistoric times the people long could not begin to recalculate objects. They hardly mastered figure 2 and that with big work. There was especially nothing especially nothing to recalculate then to them: how many mammoths killed, coconuts broke how many stones found. Therefore for those people the quantity of objects more than two was "much". Number 3 standing right after the two meant to some "everything". In the ancient time all people of the world considered on fingers in a literal sense. On the letter the number of fingers was replaced with equal quantity of sticks. Some people directed them horizontally, others – vertically. This feature the Roman figures which partly consist to this day of vertical sticks – I, II kept, III.
Magic of numbers
For a long time the different people allocated figures with mysterious, mysterious force. Pythagoras's followers divided numbers into even and odd. Energy of male power, the second – women's was attributed to the first. It was necessary that men's numbers bring good luck and happiness. Women's, on the contrary, were considered as unhappy. The special sense invested in number 3 at all times. From here "God loves a Trinity", "three maidens under a window" and "three athletes". Superstitious people spit through the left shoulder still three times that not guide a malefice. Allocated with magic properties also the seven. For this reason in a week 7 days, and the Lent for believers lasts 7 weeks. From all great and mysterious wonders of the world allocated only 7 of the most important and surprising. This figure quite often appears in fairy tales, legends and myths. Thanks to the seven, on light many proverbs, sayings were born. It is interesting that in different cultures to figures the relation different. So, for example, in China number 4 is considered death number, it is hardly necessary to see number of the car with figures 4. And here 13 which in the European tradition is considered number devilish, on the contrary, is honored as a harmony indicator. Perhaps, the only universal figure symbol is 8 which in the majority of the known cultures is connected with an infinity sign.