Monday, August 17, 2015

Why do we count in tens?

The answer lies in the number of fingers on our hand.  (Kids Level: 8 to 10)

In the early days men counted on their fingers, just as the tribals do today. It is said that the tribals could count even upto hundreds.  Three men would sit together and a fourth man sat opposite them.  The three would hold their hands with fingers outstretched.

The fourth man would count the first man’s fingers once – that made ten.  Then he bent the first  finger of the man in the middle.

Next he would count another ten on the first  man’s finger, then bend the second finger of the middle man.

When all the fingers of the middle man were closed, he would bend the first finger, of the third man to indicate ‘one tens-tens’ or one hundred.  Thus the natives could cleverly count upto hundreds.

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