As they interacted with Indian merchants, they began to learn about the Hindu number system. The Hindus had developed this advanced system of mathematics several centuries before the Arabs. It included the use of zero, a decimal system and a place value system.
The Arab traders adopted the Hindu number system because they realized it was more efficient than the numerical systems used in the Middle East at that time. The Hindu numbers made it easier to perform mathematical calculations, such as multiplication, division and fractions.
The Arabs later transmitted the Hindu number system to the rest of the world. It was adopted by European mathematicians in the 12th century, and eventually became the standard system of mathematics used throughout the world.