Sign-value notation

Sign-value notations are typically additive, subtractive, or multiplicative depending on their conventions for grouping signs together to collectively represent numbers.

[1] Although the absolute value of each sign is independent of its position, the value of the sequence as a whole may depend on the order of the signs, as with numeral systems which combine additive and subtractive notation, such as Roman numerals.

Frequently used large numbers are often expressed using unique symbols to avoid excessive repetition.

The consistent use of the subtractive system with Roman numerals was not standardised until after the widespread adoption of the printing press in Europe.

Since there was seldom any need to break open the envelope, the signs on the outside became the first written language for writing numbers in clay, using sign-value notation.