A Conversation for Numbers
Negative Numbers
mavvg Started conversation May 22, 2000
One idea about why people started to use negative numbers is when currency started to take off. People would borrow money and then you need to know how much they owe - negative. I was told this by my lecturer at the start of Uni.
Also, you don't need numbers to count. well, not really. Many indiginous tribes 'count' by forming a bijection (1 to 1 and covering all of them) between the two things they want to count. Eg to get the right number of spears they line all their warriors up and then put a spear in front of each one. If they can count it doesn't go much beyond one, two, many, lots sh**loads but that doen't stop them killing other tribes.
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Negative Numbers
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