Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Bases are Loaded

The base of any number system is the number of different symbols used to compose the numbers. The system we use, base 10, is such because there are ten symbols used to form the numerals: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. It is assumed that we use this system since we have 10 digits on our hands. People found it easier to count using base 10.

The cool thing about numbers is that we can play in other bases. The binary system, base two, has only two digits: 0, 1. Computers perform their calculations in binary codes.

Here is your challenge for today: Using the examples below of Base Ten, Base Two, and Base Five, write the numbers from one to twenty in base 8. Ready, go!

BTW: The answer to the last challenge is in the comment section of that post.

Base Ten

Base Two

Base Five

Base Eight

1

1

1

1

2

10

2

3

11

3

4

100

4

5

101

10

6

110

11

7

111

12

8

1000

13

9

1001

14

10

1010

20

11

1011

21

12

1100

22

13

1101

23

14

1110

24

15

1111

30

16

10000

31

17

10001

32

18

10010

33

19

10011

34

20

10100

40