Page:Smith - Number Stories of Long ago (1919).djvu/62

OF LONG AGO he went to Rome he explained these numerals to others. He became one of the most learned men of his time and was elected pope, taking the name of Sylvester II. In this way the numerals that we often call Arabic were brought to the attention of learned men in Europe about the year 1000, although they had been known a little before this time in Spain and possibly in Italy.

Number Stories, p41-illustration.png CHANGES IN OUR NUMERALS This shows some of the changes made in our numerals from about the time of Gerbert to the time when Europe began to print books. After printing was invented there were few changes

The handwriting of people changes so much from century to century and from country to country that the numerals which Gerbert used 41