# Why is the ten-key pad inverted?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-ten-key-pad-inverted/159557
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 6, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-ten-key-pad-inverted/159557 "2003-03-06T19:35:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-ten-key-pad-inverted/159557/1 "2003-03-06T19:35:32Z")

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On a telephone, the ten key pad starts with 123 at the top. On a computer, it starts with 789. It seeme that since old-style adding machines predate the touch tone phone, phones should have been set up the same way when first switched from rotary. But they weren’t. Does anyone know why?

–  
Justin

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### Author: ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-ten-key-pad-inverted/159557/2 "2003-03-06T19:44:56Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mphonedial.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mphonedial.html)

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### Author: ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-ten-key-pad-inverted/159557/3 "2003-03-06T20:02:39Z")

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Thanks. I searched GQ, but I forgot to search The Masters (and his minions) answers.

–  
Justin