Introduction to Number Bases
In Clock Arithmetic and Modular Systems, we have learned about a different number system, a number system whose largest digit is 12. We observed that in that system, we can only use the numbers 1 through 12. We also noticed that 12 acts as 0 since 12 added to any number is equal to that number. If we change 12 to 0, we can only use 0 through 11 as digits.
The number system that we use everyday, the decimal number system, uses 0 through 9 as digits. In the decimal number system, if we add 1 to the largest digit which is 9, we add 1 to the number on next place value and write 0. For example, 9 + 1 = 10 and 10 means that 1 tens and 0 ones. In the decimal number system, 325 means 3 tens squared (or hundreds), 2 tens and 5 ones. Using the expansion notation, we have » Read more