Difference between revisions of "Base numbers"
Quantum leap (talk | contribs) |
m (proofreading) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | We use the '''decimal''', or base-10, number system. To help explain what this means, consider the number <math>2764</math>. This number can be rewritten as <math>2746=2*10^3+7*10^2+4*10^1+6*10^0</math>. Note that each number in 2764 is actually just a placeholder which shows how many of a certain power of 10 there are. Also, each place in a number represents a value 10 times the place value to its right. Base-10 uses digits 0-9. Usually, the base, or '''radix''', of a number is denoted as a subscript written at the right end of the number;e.g. our example above may be written <math>2746_{10}</math>. | + | We use the '''decimal''', or base-10, number system. To help explain what this means, consider the number <math>2764</math>. This number can be rewritten as <math>2746=2*10^3+7*10^2+4*10^1+6*10^0</math>. Note that each number in 2764 is actually just a placeholder which shows how many of a certain power of 10 there are. Also, each place in a number represents a value 10 times the place value to its right. Base-10 uses digits 0-9. Usually, the base, or '''radix''', of a number is denoted as a subscript written at the right end of the number; e.g. our example above may be written <math>2746_{10}</math>. |
| − | What if we want to know how much <math>10010_2</math> is in base-10 ( | + | What if we want to know how much <math>10010_2</math> is in base-10? (Notice how base 2 only uses digits 0 and 1. For this reason, binary has many applications where only binary decisions, such as yes or no, are made, such as in computers.) From above, we see that each place value in binary is twice that of the place to its right. Hence, <math>10011_2=(1*2^4+0*2^3+0*2^2+1*2^1+1*2^0)_10=(16+2+1)_{10}=19_{10}</math>. |
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | Base-10 is an apparently obvious counting system because people have 10 fingers. Historically, different societies | + | Base-10 is an apparently obvious counting system because people have 10 fingers. Historically, different societies utilized other systems. The Babylonians and some Native American cultures (Incas?) are known to have used base-60; this is why we say there are 360 degrees in a circle and (fact check on this coming one) why we count 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. The Roman system (internal link w/explanation?), which didn't have any base system at all, but rather used certain letters to represent certain values (e.g. I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500, M=1000). Imagine how difficult it would be to multiply LXV by IIMD! That's why the introduction of the '''Arab numberal system''', base-10, revolutionized math and science in Europe. |
Revision as of 19:43, 19 June 2006
We use the decimal, or base-10, number system. To help explain what this means, consider the number 
. This number can be rewritten as 
. Note that each number in 2764 is actually just a placeholder which shows how many of a certain power of 10 there are. Also, each place in a number represents a value 10 times the place value to its right. Base-10 uses digits 0-9. Usually, the base, or radix, of a number is denoted as a subscript written at the right end of the number; e.g. our example above may be written 
.
What if we want to know how much 
is in base-10? (Notice how base 2 only uses digits 0 and 1. For this reason, binary has many applications where only binary decisions, such as yes or no, are made, such as in computers.) From above, we see that each place value in binary is twice that of the place to its right. Hence, 
.
History
Base-10 is an apparently obvious counting system because people have 10 fingers. Historically, different societies utilized other systems. The Babylonians and some Native American cultures (Incas?) are known to have used base-60; this is why we say there are 360 degrees in a circle and (fact check on this coming one) why we count 60 minutes in an hour and 60 seconds in a minute. The Roman system (internal link w/explanation?), which didn't have any base system at all, but rather used certain letters to represent certain values (e.g. I=1, V=5, X=10, L=50, C=100, D=500, M=1000). Imagine how difficult it would be to multiply LXV by IIMD! That's why the introduction of the Arab numberal system, base-10, revolutionized math and science in Europe.
