Decimal

The system decimal it is a system of numeration positional that it is used of 10 symbols to represent largenesses (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9), and for that is called system base 10.

In the system decimal symbol 0 (zero) located to the left of the written number does not modify its representative value. Thus: 1; 01; 001 or 0001 represents the same largeness, in this case the unit. The symbol zero rank to the right imply in multiplying the largeness for the base, or either, for 10 (ten).

Some historians assume that the system was adopted by the primitive man for compatibility with the number of fingers of the hands, used artifice in the principle to count the things of the world, as its good, flock and money.

The system base 10 competed, to become the system standard, during a long phase of the history of the humanity with the numeration system base 60, whose resquícios still are seen in the system of division of the time, 1 minute of sixty seconds and 1 hour of sixty minutes, and in trigonometry, where the circle is divided in 360 degrees (6<math>\times</math>60).

The system based on 60 is interesting because 60 are divisible for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20 and 30, while that 10 are divisible only for 2 and 5. The biggest number of dividers becomes the system in much more practical base 60 for the division of largenesses (weights, measures, etc).