Sign-value notation

A sign-value notation represents numbers by a series of numeric signs that added together equal the number represented. In Roman numerals for example, X means ten and L means fifty. Hence LXXX means eighty (50 + 10 + 10 + 10). There is no need for zero in sign-value notation. Sign-value notation was the ancient way of writing numbers and only gradually evolved into place-value notation, also known as positional notation.

Sign-value notation

A sign-value notation represents numbers by a series of numeric signs that added together equal the number represented. In Roman numerals for example, X means ten and L means fifty. Hence LXXX means eighty (50 + 10 + 10 + 10). There is no need for zero in sign-value notation. Sign-value notation was the ancient way of writing numbers and only gradually evolved into place-value notation, also known as positional notation.