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The influence of the place-value structure of the Arabic number ...

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(i) separating power and base dimensions, (ii) get base <strong>value</strong>s, (iii) multiply base <strong>value</strong>s, (iv)<br />

get power <strong>value</strong>s, (v) add power <strong>value</strong>s, and (vi) attach power <strong>value</strong>s to <strong>the</strong> product <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

base <strong>value</strong>s] <strong>of</strong> which four [i.e., steps (i), (iv), (v), and (vi)] and thus more than in any o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

numerical notation system are based on externally available information in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong><br />

system. Based on this observation Zhang and Norman (1995) argue that such comprehensive<br />

use <strong>of</strong> external representations by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system may be <strong>the</strong> most important<br />

reason why it is so widely established and has been recognized as on <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most genius<br />

inventions in human history. Never<strong>the</strong>less, it is almost impossible to say whe<strong>the</strong>r future<br />

developments may or may not come up with requirements incompatible with <strong>the</strong> structuring<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system, <strong>the</strong>reby, leading to transformational processes or even to its<br />

re<strong>place</strong>ment.<br />

Yet, for <strong>the</strong> moment <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system is a vital part <strong>of</strong> almost everybody’s<br />

everyday life. Being numerate (in addition to being literate) is already an integral prerequisite<br />

<strong>of</strong> managing one’s life at <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 21 st century. Indeed, Bynner and Parsons (1997,<br />

see also Parsons & Bynner, 2005) found insufficient numeracy to be a more pronounced<br />

impairment regarding job and promotion prospects as compared to poor literacy. Against this<br />

background an understanding <strong>of</strong> how numerical information is cognitively represented<br />

complying with <strong>the</strong> specifications <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system in general and its structural<br />

<strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> organization in particular is <strong>of</strong> specific importance to corroborate elaborate and<br />

efficient teaching and training <strong>of</strong> numerical/ma<strong>the</strong>matical competencies (see above for <strong>the</strong><br />

representational advantages <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system). As a first step it may be interesting<br />

to evaluate in what way <strong>the</strong> representation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> <strong>structure</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong><br />

system is implemented in current models <strong>of</strong> numerical cognition. <strong>The</strong> following section will<br />

address this issue.<br />

9

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