Here's why:
* The Importance of Zero: Before zero, people struggled to represent concepts like "nothing" or "empty" within their number systems. The invention of zero allowed for a placeholder, making it possible to represent numbers like 10, 100, 1000, etc.
* Place Value: The decimal system relies heavily on place value. Each digit in a number has a value based on its position, with the value increasing by a factor of ten as you move to the left. Zero is crucial for this system, as it acts as a placeholder to distinguish numbers like 10 from 1.
* Origins: While the exact origins of the concept of zero are debated, it's generally believed to have emerged in ancient India around the 5th century AD. From India, it spread to other cultures, eventually becoming a fundamental part of the decimal system we use today.
Let me know if you'd like more details about the history of the decimal system!