In positional number system, each and every number has a weight. Earlier sticks are used to count items such as animals or objects. Around 3000 BC the Egyptians use number systems with radix 10(base the number of symbols or digits used in the number system) and they write from right to left.
Later Sumerian/Babylonian use number system with largest base 60 and were written from left to right. They use space for zero instead of a symbol,0. In 2500 BC, the Chinese use simple and efficient number system with base 10 very close to number system used in nowadays.
In 500 BC, the Greek number system known as Ionian, it is a decimal number system and used no symbols for zero. The Roman numerals consists of 7 letters such as l, V, X, L, C, D, M.
The Mayans used number system with base 20 because of the sum of the number of fingers and toes is 10 + 10 = 20. It is called vigesimal positional number system. The numerals are made up of three symbols zero (shell shape, with the plastron uppermost), one (a dot) and five (a bar or a horizontal line).
To represent 1 they used one dot, two dots for 2, and so on. The Hindu – Arabic number system had a symbol (0) for zero originated in India 1500 years ago.