[michchinn]

There is no need to assume the intent of the rule when it’s very clearly given to you.
Here is the blue box beneath R28:

The intent is that the Team’s number is clearly visible and unambiguous so that Judges, Referees, Announcers, and other Teams can easily identify competing ROBOTS.

It’s difficult to argue that many announcers could recognize Egyptian numerals on sight.

Originally Posted by dtengineering

When I read the section requiring only numerals on the bumpers, the manual does NOT require the numerals to be written in the standard western arabic numeral system. We've all assumed that it does... but it doesn't SAY that it does. Yet, "If you've read everything, you know everything." Clearly the numeral system is not defined, and therefore intentionally open to interpretation.