Babylonian numbers

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In this activity we explore the number system of the ancient Babylonians.

The ancient Babylonians used cuneiform characters to write their numbers.

What are the 2 basic ancient Babylonian numerical symbols and what do they mean?

Discuss the limitations of the Babylonian system. Then debate whether these so-called limitations were actually limitations at all.

Is the Babylonian system more of a place-value system or a concatenation system?

Fill out the following table, simplifying any calculations. $\renewcommand {\arraystretch }{2.3} \begin {array}{| c | c || c | c || c | c |} \hline Hindu-Arabic & Cuneiform & Hindu-Arabic & Cuneiform & Hindu-Arabic & Cuneiform \\ \hline \hline 5 \times 1 & \hspace {20mm} & 5 \times 2 &\hspace {20mm} & 5 \times 3 & \hspace {20mm}\\ \hline 5 \times 4 & & 5 \times 5 & & 5 \times 6 & \\ \hline 5 \times 7 & & 5 \times 8 & & 5 \times 9 & \\ \hline 5 \times 10 & & 5 \times 20 & & 5 \times 30 & \\ \hline 5 \times 40 & & 5 \times 50 & & \frac 15 & \\ \hline \frac {1}{4} & & \frac {1}{9} & & \frac {1}{10}& \\ \hline \frac {5}{6} & & \frac {1}{20} & & \frac {1}{100} & \\ \hline \end {array}$

Use your table to make the following calculations. You should work in base sixty, though you may use Hindu-Arabic numerals.

(a): $34 \times 5$
(b): $1,47 \div 5$
(c): $2,30 \div 4$
(d): $8,6,15 \div 6,40$