why do Europeans cross their sevens?

Answer 1

I'm American and I sometimes cross mine to prevent confusion. I have also been known to cross my Zs and slash my zeros.

Answer 2

Good job, numnuts. Now let the expert handle this. The number seven used to be written with a hallow diamond shape in the middle in place of the cross. Do the math. Thats seven lines. All ancient Arabic numbers used to have the same number of dashes it represents. The 2 used to be an upside down mirror image 7 and its still is with an added decorative curve. Think about it the most effective way of writing on a clay tablet is pressing dashes not making nice curvy figures and also this way anyone who can count can also recognize the number. The only way to read a modern European number is by knowing its shape in advance.

Answer 3

So they don't get the sevens confused with ones. Btw, some Americans do this, too. I cross my sevens and my "z"s. The latter keeps "z" from looking like "2."

Answer 4

Hello Richard,

Very few people in the UK cross their 7s.

I don't know whether other European keyboards have a crossed 7 but as you see they don't on the UK keyboard.

Poseidon

Answer 5

So that they don't get mistaken for twos and ones.

1 2 7

Answer 6

In the US Army, we cross our 7s and put slashes through the zeros, they just look cool that way, dresses up a dull number.

Answer 7

If I don't it would look like a weird no. 1 or a weird no. 2

Answer 8

I also do that, and I am American. It has to do with not confusing them with ones, and twos. The reason I do it is because the military does and old habits die hard.

Answer 9

so you dont confuse them with a 1

Answer 10

so they don't get mistaken for twos