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Typography - Why the Gap in the '4'?

chico

Does anyone know why so many fonts include a gap in the vertical line of the number '4'? I assume it has some historical/technological origin - to distinguish it from the number '9' for instance - but I can't find a clear explanation of this. To tell you the truth, it annoys me and I think it will bother me less if I know the reasons behind it. Take a fantastic font such as FF DIN, why can't they close the '4'?

 
Jun 26, 07 2:55 pm

calling rationalist...

Jun 26, 07 2:59 pm  · 
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strlt_typ
Jun 26, 07 3:09 pm  · 
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er.... paging e? any clue, e?

I'd never thought about it before to be honest, and it doesn't bug me at all. The number 4 isn't necessarily one set shape, though: notice in many more technical looking fonts (bitmaps primarily, but some others as well), the 4 is not even a closed triangle, but topped with parallel vertical lines like on a digital clock, and you still read it as a '4', no problem.

I do notice that the reduced stroke of that four aligns nicely with the x-height of everything around it though, which is probably why it doesn't bug most of us.

Jun 26, 07 3:14 pm  · 
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holz.box

cos that's how a german writes a 4 would be my guess...

Jun 26, 07 3:26 pm  · 
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FrankLloydMike

I really like the gap.

Jun 26, 07 3:28 pm  · 
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Sconie
rationalist

, i actually picked up a copy of e.luptons book(i think being buzzzed made me realize i know not everything). a very informative read. its actually the first time i read through a book with a prescriptive approach to type. cheers.

Jun 26, 07 3:43 pm  · 
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grid

I wish the number 4 looked more like a mouse

Jun 26, 07 3:47 pm  · 
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db

perhaps as a compromise between the open-parallel '4' rationalist describes and the closed-triangle '4' -- the best of both worlds? or else neither. mind the gap indeed.

Jun 26, 07 3:58 pm  · 
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mdler

what about the line through the 7?

Jun 26, 07 4:17 pm  · 
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Sconie

some upper-case 'G's have a hanging armature...

Jun 26, 07 4:26 pm  · 
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doesn't quite answer the question, but has some interesting stuff anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_%28number%29

Jun 26, 07 4:28 pm  · 
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Sconie

i would guess that the variability of the numeral '4' has to do with it being made up of two distinct, intersecting strokes. furthermore, Its the only numeral to have intersections rather than elbows and cusps.

Jun 26, 07 4:44 pm  · 
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Orphan

because it has mitered joints so as to have a clean edge

Jun 26, 07 5:56 pm  · 
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holz.box

mdler,
the line through the middle of the 7 is to discern it from the 1, which can be mistaken for a 7 the way germans write it.

Jun 26, 07 6:57 pm  · 
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so that it can be stenciled? if not the middle would fall off.

Jun 26, 07 7:07 pm  · 
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AP

i like that FF DIN...nice font...

and although i neither care for the pitchfork four or the slashed through seven, i use them both when i write...although when choosing a type font i try to find triangular 4's and slash-less 7's...


this thread is very archinect.

Jun 26, 07 7:50 pm  · 
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chico

Thanks for the outpouring of responses. Still not sure any of the explanations fit. The angled miter is present in the A,W,Z,etc - so there is no reason why it can't be accomplished with the 4. A number of the character's have intersections, so 4 is not absolutely unique in that way. As for stencils, that rational would also affect the 6,8,9,0,etc. Maybe that's just how a German writes the numeral '4'. Any Germans around?

Jun 26, 07 8:38 pm  · 
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Katze

…the number 4 has four angles:



evolution from Arabic to Latin:



Check out the site – fun stuff!

Jun 26, 07 9:30 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

I got in trouble from my sixth grade teacher because he couldn't discern my 4's from my 9's.

And ever since, I've drawn my 4's with the gap.

I used to have a huge dictionary that traced the evolution of every letter, but I don't think the numbers. Thanks for the link.

Jun 26, 07 11:35 pm  · 
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aspect

4 is the only number that cannot be written without either -

the pencil leaving the paper or
repeat the same path.

the broken line signify there is two pathway in "4" which i assume is the original idea derive from "+".

also, in religion 4 sybolize the return. http://www.angelscribe.com/1111.html
although that doesn't quite answer the questions! :-)

Jun 27, 07 3:14 am  · 
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aspect

or may be in ancient time, when ppl use feather for writing, the broken line of "4" is to ensure no lines to be overlap so there won't be a 'blob' of ink at the top.

Jun 27, 07 3:19 am  · 
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grid

"4 is the only number that cannot be written without either -

the pencil leaving the paper or
repeat the same path."

LIES!!

start with your pencil at the bottom, move it up one unit, to the left at -45 degrees half a unit, to the right one unit. Now you have a "closed" 4 without lifting your pencil up. fun fun fun

Jun 27, 07 8:22 pm  · 
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aspect

nope, your methods still overlap at the middle....

besides is uncommon to many cultures to write from bottom up, especially with a brush or feather.

Jun 27, 07 10:01 pm  · 
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AP


taken via cameraphone, walking back to the office from lunch...

Jun 28, 07 1:50 pm  · 
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