Aztec numeration system
What base did the Aztec numeration system use?
vigesimal
What kind of system did the Aztecs use to calculate surface areas?
a unit fraction system
What does the maize seed pod symbolize in Aztec numeration?
the number one
What type of numeration system did the Aztecs have — additive or positional?
additive
Why do you think the Aztecs used symbols instead of numbers like ours?
Because their writing system was ideographic, based on symbols and drawings.
What kind of writing system did the Aztecs have?
ideographic writing
What two types of land did they mainly calculate areas for?
agricultural and real estate lands
What does the flag symbolize?
the number twenty
What does "vigesimal" mean?
a base-20 system
How does the Aztec differ from our current system?
Our system is based on tens, while theirs was based on twenties.
What was the main inspiration for Aztec numerical symbols?
maize
The Aztec arithmetic system was similar to which modern measuring system?
the English system (feet and inches)
What does the feather or maize plant symbolize?
the number four hundred
What mathematical operations did the Aztecs use for land measurement?
addition, multiplication, and division (basic operations)
What can the Aztec numeration system tell us about their culture and priorities?
That agriculture and maize were central to their life and organization
What symbol represented the number 1 in the Aztec system?
a maize seed pod
How did the Aztecs calculate the area of irregular shapes like pentagons or hexagons?
by averaging a pair of opposite sides and multiplying by another side
What does the sack represent?
the number eight thousand
What mathematical idea did the Aztecs use that’s similar to our concept of “conversion” (like inches to feet)?
converting units in their measurement system
How would you compare the Aztec system of measuring land to modern geometry?
Both use methods to calculate area, but the Aztecs used practical, visual techniques.
What did the Aztecs use to represent 20, 400, and 8000?
a flag, a maize plant or feather, and a sack
How did they calculate the area of a quadrilateral using triangles?
by dividing it into two triangles, using the base rule, and dividing by two
Why do historians think maize was used as inspiration in Aztec numeration?
maize was the main crop and central to Aztec culture
Why was the Aztec arithmetic system important for their civilization?
Because it helped them measure and manage land for agriculture and property accurately.
What does the use of maize-related symbols reveal about the Aztec worldview?
That nature and crops were deeply connected to their mathematics and daily life.