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bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx schrieb:
> I was just wondering why people tend to use a base 10 number system. I
> can't help but wonder if it is due to us having ten fingers. Anyone
> have any insight into this?
>
> Thanks.
The use of different bases in different cultures can sometimes be
inferred from their languages.
There are many cultures with base 20 (fingers and toes) or base 5 (one
hand only), but in fact sometimes also base 2, base 3, base 4.
In rare cases, rudiments of base 6 can be found deeply hidden below a
standard base 10 system, e.g. Pawnee:
6. shekshabish.
7. petkoshekshabish = 2-6, i.e. 2d 6.
8. touwetshabish = 3-6, i.e. 3d 6.
9. loksherewa = 10 - 1.
For more, see for example http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/16449
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