calling rationalist...

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.

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

I really like the gap.

, 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.

I wish the number 4 looked more like a mouse

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.

what about the line through the 7?

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

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

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.

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

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.

so that it can be stenciled? if not the middle would fall off.

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.

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?

…the number 4 has four angles:



evolution from Arabic to Latin:



Check out the site – fun stuff!

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.

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! :-)

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.

"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

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.

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