Raqamlar

Raqamlar is a term used in Turkic languages such as Azerbaijani, Turkish, and Uzbek to refer to the digits or numerals that are used to represent numbers. In most everyday writing, raqamlar denote the ten basic glyphs 0 through 9 in the decimal numeral system, and sequences of these digits express numeric values in a place‑value framework.

The word has its roots in the Arabic word rakam, meaning number or figure, and cognate forms appear in related languages as rəqəm, rakam, or raqam. While the term emphasizes the written symbols, its use is closely tied to the numerical systems taught and used in each language, where the digits themselves are largely standardized across communities.

The decimal system is positional: the value of a digit depends on its place, with each position representing a power of ten. Raqamlar are combined with a decimal point and, in many contexts, a minus sign to express integers and real numbers. Beyond arithmetic, raqamlar are foundational in science, engineering, finance, and technology, serving as the basic symbols for data and measurement.

Historically, the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, including the digits 0–9, originated in India and spread through the Islamic world to Europe, forming the modern basis for numeric notation used worldwide. In today’s multilingual and digital world, raqamlar are rendered in standard Western digits in most educational and technical contexts, though some regions still use local digit variants such as Eastern Arabic‑Indic numerals in daily life. Digital encoding (Unicode) ensures consistent representation across platforms and languages.