A non-positional numeral system represents numbers using symbols that do not have place value significance, meaning the position of a symbol does not determine its actual value. This contrasts with positional systems like the decimal system, where the position of a digit determines its value, allowing for more efficient computation and representation of larger numbers.
Egyptian numerals are a decimal system used in ancient Egypt, characterized by distinct hieroglyphs representing powers of ten, which allowed for additive combination to express numbers. This numeral system, primarily used for administrative and accounting purposes, lacks a positional value and zero, relying on repetition of symbols to denote larger values.