zero: Quick Facts

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Facts

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The number zero

A large black numeral zero centered on an orange background, visually representing the concept of zero.

Sumerian inscriptions

A Babylonian mathematical tablet

Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle

Clock with Roman numerals

A chart displays the Mayan numeral system, showing symbols for numbers 0 to 19 using dots and bars, and demonstrates how larger numbers are formed by stacking these symbols vertically in a base-20 system. An example calculation on the right breaks down the number 258,458 using Mayan numerals and powers of 20.

The Bakhshali manuscript fragment displayed in a case, showing ancient script with a small black dot representing the earliest known numeral zero.

Statue of Aryabhata at the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, India.

The number zero

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Topics

Is Zero an Even or an Odd Number?number golden ratio significant figures scientific notation amicable numbers real number perfect number transfinite number prime Fibonacci sequence large numbers