Following the test the students’ second task was to investigate the number systems of
past civilisations to see what could be learned from them. Having considered the numbers
0-10 in their own languages, including writing down the number symbols in their language
on the board, and saying the numbers, they then spent five to six lessons of 60 minutes
each working through worksheets on different number systems from around the world and
from different time periods. These included Primitive, Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman,
Greek, and Mayan, and finally the present Indian decimal system. The tasks involved them
writing numbers in the different systems, only two of which had a place value (Babylonian
and Mayan). Following the investigation of each number system the students discussed the
symbols in the system, along with general features such as place value and zero, its
advantages and disadvantages, and then wrote down their observations on the system.