With a numbering system in place and knowledge from the Babylonians, the Greeks became masters of mathematics, with the most progress made from 300 B.C.E. to 200 C.E., although the Greek culture had been in existence long before that time. The Greeks changed the nature and approach to math, and they considered it one of the most—if not the most—important subjects in science. The main reason for their proclivity towards mathematics is easy to understand: The Greeks preferred reasoning over any other activity. Mathematics is based on reasoning, unlike many scientific endeavors that require experimentation and observation.