3 ms·
Note that our use of D and M for the "Roman numerals" 500 and 1000 is a misinterpretation of their |) and (|).
by thaumasiotes 2y ago
Note that our use of D and M for the "Roman numerals" 500 and 1000 is a misinterpretation of their |) and (|).
- Y_Y 2y agoCan you really argue that this use is a "misinterpretation" and not just the usual evolution of written symbols?
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- thaumasiotes 2y agoYes, D and M are letters.
- Y_Y 2y agoSymbols like that can represent all sorts of things, and numbers are no exception! In fact the Romans had been using other letters to represent their numbers since Etruscan times. Wait until you hear the torrid history of the character V (and its "misrepresentation" U).