Why Do Some People Cross A Seven?

[Quenched]

I've often wondered why do some people when writing the letter 7 put a line through it?

Any ideas? 

[DDIL]

To distinguish it from the numeral one

Some people cross their 7's with a short horizontal bar in the middle to distinguish it from the numeral one, especially in cultures that write 1 with a very long upstroke. This form is used commonly throughout continental Europe, parts of the United States, and frequently in Australia. The use of crossbars on the number 7 has become standard across the scientific and engineering community, at least in Europe. The practice of crossing the 7 may have originated from religious beliefs

Taken from the internet!

[bhg481]

It's common in mainland Europe and helps any chance of confusing 1 and 7.

[roopower]

I think it might be that some Europeans write a 1 with a 'flick' on the top, possibly looking like a 7, so putting a line through a 7 makes it look different.

[bhg481]

I was unfortunate to catch a glimpse of the Man united/city match at the end of the news and noticed the City shirts were numbered in a script font and the 7 was crossed.

[Hazlinny]

Always remember the number 7 being crossed when doing French at school.

[gingejbee]

I've always crossed a "7" since starting grammar school...several of the teachers did it and I thought it was "cool".

[Quenched]

Ok thanks guys. I just find it unnecessary in the digital age we live in when a seven looks like this 7. 

 

Where is there a digital 7 or typewriter 7 with a line through it?

 

Still find it very unnecessary. 

[Toorak]

It's not unnecessary if you are writing it - I always cross a seven for clarity/disambiguity.

[pastafreak]

I started doing when when I moved to the UK...because I thought that was how it was done here.

[Toorak]

It's more of a European thing Pasta but I think it's helpful to do it for clarity

[Canary42]

You put the "flick" at the top of the number 1 to distinguish it from the letter I, so then you need the line for the number 7. 

[Buenchico]

I spent four years studying maths at college, where we were instructed to always use continental sevens.  Then I commenced teaching maths in a school where my head of department simply went ballistic at the very sight of them.  Trying to undo the habit of the previous four years wasn't easy!

These days I'll happily use either but, as my hobby involves writing/typing amateur radio callsigns (including my own), I need to use fonts with slashed zeros incorporated into them because that's the international standard for such things.

[Cloverjo]

My dad still crosses his 7s. I asked him why and he said it's from his time in Germany as a young soldier. That's how they do it there, he said. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Ken4155]

^

I've crossed my '7s' since 1973 for exactly the same reason, Cloverjo. Just an habit i picked up in Germany and never went back to the ordinary '7'.

[DDIL]

Just because you find it unnecessary doesn't mean it is for everyone.

[douglas9401]

Sorry I'm late, I just wanted to check that seven is a number and not, as posted earlier, a letter.

Have to go now, got some rubbish to burn.

[rockyracoon]

I've always crossed my 7s. Not sure how it started, though.

[smurfchops]

I do in case it is mistaken for a 1...

[naomi24]

I cross my sevens.  It just makes it clearer.

[jackthehat]

In my line of work the accuracy of written numbers is very important so I use crossed 7s at all times - it has seeped into my non-work  writing, too.