HinduArabiska

Hinduarabiska, in common usage, refers to the Hindu–Arabic numeral system—the decimal digits 0 through 9 and the place-value notation that underpins most modern mathematics and everyday counting. The system originated in India, where early mathematical developments introduced zero as a number and as a placeholder, along with a true decimal place-value framework.

From India, the numeral system traveled to the Islamic world, where scholars adapted and preserved it and helped transmit it to Europe. By the medieval period, Arab mathematicians and merchants used these digits in astronomical, algebraic, and commercial work, and European scholars encountered them through translations of Arabic texts. In Europe, the system gradually supplanted Roman numerals during the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The term Hindu–Arabic numerals acknowledges the dual heritage: Indian origin and Arabic transmission before their widespread European adoption. The digits themselves—0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9—are widely used, though regional glyph shapes vary; for example, Eastern Arabic numerals (٠–٩) are common in parts of the Arab world, while Western-style digits (0–9) are standard in most other regions.

Today, Hinduarabiska numerals are the global standard in mathematics, science, finance, computing, and everyday life. They enable base-10, decimal notation and efficient arithmetic. The digits are encoded in Unicode and used across languages, making them a universal tool for communication, measurement, and record-keeping.