Page 15 - CalcBus_Flipbook

CH 1] Calculating Business 1-5

NOTATION AND NUMERATION: Just some basic information
Notation is the writing of numbers. Numeration is the naming or reading of numbers.

When you write in a ledger the following:

276.53
145.93 1
12.00
You are noting the numbers and the process of the physical writing is notation.
When you name, read or write the numbers you are performing numeration, thus:
Writing 276.53, notation, and what you read is two hundred seventy-six point fifty-three, the
numeration of the number. Assuming that this number is in your check book representing a
purchase that you made then you would read it as two hundred seventy-six dollars and fifty-
three cents; still numeration.
The common number system widely used today is the decimal system. Regardless of
whether it is our English system of numbers or Metric system, it is a decimal system and it is
based on the number ten. The word "decimal" is derived from the Latin word decimus which
means tenth.
The symbols used to represent numbers are called numerals. A numeral is a name for a
number. The numeral 5, is a common expression for the number five and is written as a digit.
The number 16 is also made up of digits, which are individually the digits one and six, but in
the combination shown, the one is a ten and six is ones.
For clarity consider the numeral 457. The digit 7 in the first position on the right indicates
seven ones; that is, seven of whatever is being counted or considered. The next digit 5 in the
second place from the right designates five groups of ten. In the third place from the right, the
digit 4 designates four groups of "ten 10s." In this manner, the place that the digit occupies
determines the value it represents. The value of each place is ten times the value of the place to
its right. Any one of the digits can occupy any one of the positions.

4 5 7

Hundreds Ones
Tens

And for its numeration you would say or write four-hundred-fifty-seven.
In the numeral (number) 716.8, the decimal point indicates the starting point. The decimal
point makes it possible to determine the agreed-on starting place. The first digit to the left of the
decimal point designates the ones place. The first digit to the right of the decimal point
designates the a value of one-tenth. The five basic characteristics of the decimal system are:
1. Symbols or Digits. There are symbols for the numbers zero through nine, and the
digit zero acts as a place-holder.
2. Base of Ten. A finite group of ten symbols, 0 through 9, are used.
3. Place Value. When a digit is shifted one place to the left, its value is increased
tenfold; One’s, tens, hundreds, etc. Conversely, when a digit is shifted one place to
the right, its value becomes one-tenth of its former value; tenths (/10), hundredths
(1/100), thousandths (1/1,000), etc.
4. Values Designated by the Various Digits are Added. For example, 568 means five
hundred sixty-eight; hundreds, tens and ones as (5 x 100) + (6 x 10) + (8 x 1).
5. Decimal point, the agreed-on Starting Place. There must be a means of determining
which digit occupies the ones place. The digit farthest on the right is understood to
be in the ones place in a whole number. The decimal point is used to indicate the
ones place when digits are used to show a decimal value smaller than one.

Reading and Writing Numbers
Annually, American companies sell billions of dollars of goods and net millions of dollars.
State governments have annual budgets of billions of dollars and the federal government has an
annual budget of trillions of dollars with departments in the federal government having budgets

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