After some development, here is a diagram, explanation, and some lore about established Platta mathematics. It is also available in the Character Sheet. [hider=Platta Early Mathematics] [hider=Diagram] [img]http://i.imgur.com/UJfxBTD.png[/img] [/hider] [hider=How To Read] The orange background is for contrast only. This is used to clarify color use. Actual Platta cloths may vary. To read Platta diagrams and writing, read left to right, and do not combine symbols with the above and below unless an edge is reached. A space between 'sentences' is sometimes added for clarification purposes, but Platta do not usually add them. [/hider] [hider=Explanation] A cyan dot represents the communication of a concept or observation of a thing. A medium-light green dot here represents the process of addition represented by how life adds in time. A purple green dot represents the collection of the previously stated. Due to the mathematical presence, it can be said to be the outcome of a mathematical process. So, the first sentence reads 1 thing (of talked of) plus 1 thing (of talked of) equals 2 things (in outcome). The next reads 1 thing (of talked of) plus 2 things (of talked of) equals 3 things (of outcome). This idea repeats until the one with a light red dot, which represents subtraction as fights remove more than add. The first sentence with that reads 2 things minus 1 thing equals 1 thing. The next equation has a brown dot which represents absence or zero. So, it reads 1 thing minus 1 thing equals 0 things. This idea continues until the yellow dots, which represent multiplication from how change and the care of ideas of Platta work. The first reads 2 things times 1 thing equals 2 things. The next reads 2 things times 2 things equals 4 things. The next unique dot is black which represents equality by comparison which is not the same thing as equality by outcome. The sentence with it reads 10 things equal 10 things. The dot after the black dot is a quicker way of saying 10. Unlike other operations, it isn't filled with purple as this is to show that it is about how to write it, not what it means in outcome. The next sentence means 10 things plus 10 things equals 20 things. The 20 is filled with purple because it is now a collection of an outcome. When a short-hand ten of either kind (things spoken of or outcome) is combined with others similar, it is an implied add. The first equation with this says 10 things plus 1 thing equals 11 things. The next unique dot is white, but also notice in that equation, there is a green and red one. The green and red together represents 'within'. White means 'in the middle', which stems from the symbolism of unity, or in this case, 'between'. So, that sentence means 3 things within 1 thing results in between 2 things and 4 things. This is used to express non-precise measurements. The next unique dot is a larger one with a dark blue rim and purple inside. That represents 100. At this huge of a number, it is not different between observation and outcome because the Platta don't count when things reach such high numbers. The dark blue represents the complexity of considering 100 things. The following circle with a purple brim but dark blue inside represents a thousand. The sets of purple dots below represent the first 15 numbers, and reminder of the symbols for adding, subtracting, and multiplying. The two unique non-circular symbols are Platta markings unique to each Platta to represent who came up with it. It is a form of giving credit but more so, in the event of problems, it informs of who to contact. It's like a signature. On this cloth, the more yellow one belongs to the Platta engineer named Fiyam. The green one represents a caretaker named Pajwina. [/hider] [hider=Lore] [hider=History] The diagram explains basic mathematics and numbers that the Platta use. As of the time of this diagram was made, the concepts of large numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, zero, equality by comparison, and within, were well known. Division was just emerging. Other cloths might contain specific problems to give younger Platta example sheets analogous to homework except they are only presented by written means. They are solved orally and cooperatively instead of by writing and individually. [/hider] [hider=Terminology] The Platta do not call the operators plus, minus, and multiply outside of reading conveniences. They actually say 'with life', 'with fight', and 'with Platta care'. They call equals more often 'becomes'. They call a note of equality as 'is symbolically the same as'. [/hider] [hider=Lore about Multiplication]The reason why Platta care (multiplication) is perceived to make the changes varies per number multiplied. To combine an observation with humility and horror (multiply by zero) is to make it of the same. Observations treated with humility make the result unused and humble as well since it isn't taken from the world. To treat it with horror, or something worse than necessary violence, ends in horror for all. To multiply by one means that an observation is not considered widely and only put in one view so the result is nothing changes. It's a metaphor about how things we only know one way about result in no change of life. To multiply by more than one is to bring multiple Platta views and thus make inspiration, which is why multiplying like this always results in larger numbers anything multiplied with.[/hider] [hider=Negative Numbers] Negative numbers are not yet considered. To say something subtracting more than it (like one minus three) is thought as an error in writing and should have been said as three minus one. [/hider] [/hider] [/hider]