How did the Hindu-Arabic numeral system differ from Roman numerals?

The primary difference between the Hindu-Arabic and Roman numeral systems lies in the use of positional notation and the concept of zero.12

• Positional System: The Hindu-Arabic system is a decimal positional system, meaning the value of a digit depends on its position (e.g., the 2 in 20 and 200 represents different values). This structure allows for efficient arithmetic calculations. In contrast, the Roman system is nonpositional; it uses letters (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) to record values rather than to facilitate calculation.1342
• The Role of Zero: A foundational element of the Hindu-Arabic system is the symbol "0," which acts as both a placeholder to distinguish numerical values and a number in its own right with defined arithmetic rules. The Roman system lacked a symbol for zero, which necessitated the use of external tools like an abacus or counting board for performing arithmetic.24

While Roman numerals were historically significant for commerce and literature, the Hindu-Arabic system’s positional nature and inclusion of zero eventually made it the superior standard for mathematics, science, and global communication.342