Hindu–Arabic numeral system system is based upon ten (originally nine) different glyphs. The symbols (glyphs) used to represent the system are in principle independent of the system itself. The glyphs in actual use are descended from Brahmi numerals and have split into various typographical variants since the Middle Ages. These symbol sets can be divided into three main families: Western Arabic numerals used in the Greater Maghreb and in Europe, Eastern Arabic numerals (also called "Indic numerals") used in the Middle East, and the Indian numerals used in South Asia. The Hindu-Arabic numerals were invented by mathematicians in India. Perso-Arabic mathematicians called them
Sinhala numerals have a zero and they also did not have zero concept holder. They included separate symbols for 10, 40, 50, 100, 1000. These numerals were also regarded as "Lith Lakunu" or ephemeris numbers by W. A. De Silva in his "Catalogue of Palm leaf manuscripts in the library of Colombo Museum". This set of numerals was known as "Sinhala illakkam" or Sinhala archaic numerals. Sinhala numerals or "Sinhala illakkam" were used in the Kandyan convention which was signed between Kandyan Chieftains and the British governor, Robert Brownrig, in 1815. Eleven clauses were numbered in Arabic numerals in the English part