<P> 0 (zero; / ˈzɪəroʊ /) is both a number and the numerical digit used to represent that number in numerals . The number 0 fulfills a central role in mathematics as the additive identity of the integers, real numbers, and many other algebraic structures . As a digit, 0 is used as a placeholder in place value systems . Names for the number 0 in English include zero, nought (UK), naught (US) (/ ˈnɔːt /), nil, or--in contexts where at least one adjacent digit distinguishes it from the letter "O"--oh or o (/ ˈoʊ /). Informal or slang terms for zero include zilch and zip . Ought and aught (/ ˈɔːt /), as well as cipher, have also been used historically . </P> <P> The word zero came into the English language via French zéro from Italian zero, Italian contraction of Venetian zevero form of' Italian zefiro via ṣafira or ṣifr . In pre-Islamic time the word ṣifr (Arabic صفر) had the meaning "empty". Sifr evolved to mean zero when it was used to translate śūnya (Sanskrit: शून्य) from India . The first known English use of zero was in 1598 . </P> <P> The Italian mathematician Fibonacci (c. 1170--1250), who grew up in North Africa and is credited with introducing the decimal system to Europe, used the term zephyrum . This became zefiro in Italian, and was then contracted to zero in Venetian . The Italian word zefiro was already in existence (meaning "west wind" from Latin and Greek zephyrus) and may have influenced the spelling when transcribing Arabic ṣifr . </P> <P> There are different words used for the number or concept of zero depending on the context . For the simple notion of lacking, the words nothing and none are often used . Sometimes the words nought, naught and aught are used . Several sports have specific words for zero, such as nil in association football (soccer), love in tennis and a duck in cricket . It is often called oh in the context of telephone numbers . Slang words for zero include zip, zilch, nada, and scratch . Duck egg and goose egg are also slang for zero . </P>

Who invented the decimal system and concept of zero