Sign-value notation

This article is about a class of numeral signs. For the sociological/economic concept of sign value, see Sign value. For a representation of signed numbers in computers, see Sign-magnitude.
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A sign-value notation represents numbers using a sequence of numerals which each represent a distinct quantity, regardless of their position in the sequence. Sign-value notations are typically additive, subtractive, or multiplicative depending on their conventions for grouping signs together to collectively represent numbers.[1]

Although the absolute value of each sign is independent of its position, the value of the sequence as a whole may depend on the order of the signs, as with numeral systems which combine additive and subtractive notation, such as Roman numerals. There is no need for zero in sign-value notation.

  1. ^ Daniels & Bright (1996), p. 796.