Do you know your Eastern numbers?

This elevator sign shows the two sets of written numbers used here. In this photo, the numbers mirror each other, with the two sixes in the middle, the fives one step outside, then onto the fours, and so on. Though both sets originated in India, they are now more often called "Arabic" numbers, for it was the Arabs who spread them. The two types have many different names, but to keep things simple, I'll call the set commonly used in the Middle East (the first line below) Eastern Arabic numerals, and the set we are familiar with (the second line) simply Arabic numerals.

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0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

To really get around here, you need to know how to read both sets of numbers. Many things, such as price tags, are written both ways. Some things, such as speed limits and addresses on buildings, are only in Eastern numerals, while others - often phone numbers - are written "normally" for us as Westerners.

Numbers are written as we are accustomed to - that is, from left to right. Thus, the above address "2000" is written in Eastern Arabic numerals the same way, with the two coming first followed by the three zeros.

Words and sentences, in contrast, are written from right to left, or "backwards" from our point of view. This entails more than just reading right to left on a page. Books, newspapers, fliers, magazines, and menus open from the "back." We recently felt quite foolish at a restaurant when we couldn't find the appetizers on the menu and the waiter kindly directed us to what we had assumed was the back of the menu. When students write essays in their notebooks, they turn the pages "backwards" to continue writing. When they compile a project into a binder, the binder also opens from the "back." When they sheath a paper in a protector, they put it in "backwards." I use quotes for the word "backwards" because, of course, the direction we write is arbitrary, as any parent can see when their young child accidentally writes his or her name as if it were in a mirror.

It takes a bit of "translating" of sorts to read numbers in a different system. This building's address is 758.

Many license plates, like this one, have the numbers written both ways, though many have only the Eastern style numbers.

Knowing numbers becomes a little more important when driving. We recently discovered that the numbers on the left of this sign tell us how many km. until the respective exits. One km. to King Abdullah Road, and three km. to Imam Saud. Only the main roads in the center are labeled in English and Arabic. Once we venture beyond downtown, the road signs become a sea of very long Arabic street names. We can pick out the word for "king" (malik) and the names Saud, Faisal, and Abdul Aziz - and that actually covers a lot!

Saudi Riyals have Eastern Arabic numerals on the front, and regular Arabic numbers on the back. But, if you have any dignity, the last thing you want to do while paying for something is flip your money over to check the number! The bills from top to bottom are: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 500. One dollar is 3.75 Riyals. They also have coins for half-Riyals and quarter-Riyals, but they are rarely used. Cents are called "hallallas." Items in the store may be tagged a certain amount of Riyals with some hallallas after the decimal; at the check-out, the hallallas are usually rounded to the nearest Riyal, or sometimes the cashier will throw in a pack of gum to call it even.

Now for your quiz. Say you're driving down a road in Saudi Arabia. How fast (in km.) would you be wise to drive as you pass each sign? (Keep in mind that getting pulled over is a frustrating and time-consuming process, which could result in being jailed for a few hours if some of your documents are amiss.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Answers:

1. 60

2. 120

3. 40

4. 50