There is, obviously, a large difference between the numbers 2106 and 216. Oftentimes, scribes used 21”6 to show that this missing number was still in place. If a simple placeholder was not used, the context of the situation would usually clear up any confusion as to whether the scribe meant 2106 or 216. The usage of context may seem futile, but bear in mind that we tend to do the same thing today. When we purchase a candy bar at the store and the clerk reads off the total amount owed as “two-fifty,” we know that this means two dollars and fifty cents, not two hundred and fifty
There is, obviously, a large difference between the numbers 2106 and 216. Oftentimes, scribes used 21”6 to show that this missing number was still in place. If a simple placeholder was not used, the context of the situation would usually clear up any confusion as to whether the scribe meant 2106 or 216. The usage of context may seem futile, but bear in mind that we tend to do the same thing today. When we purchase a candy bar at the store and the clerk reads off the total amount owed as “two-fifty,” we know that this means two dollars and fifty cents, not two hundred and fifty