Other Base Systems
Base systems other than binary and decimal do exist. When discussing DNA and coding, a base 3 system (ternary) has been used to encode information. Another easy system for use with DNA would be base 4 (quaternary). Some old cultures and civilizations used a base 60 system (sexagesimal), which is why a circle has 360 degrees (6x60=36). A base 60 system does have advantages, such as in division because 60 has twelve factors rather than the four factors of base 10. For the same reason, a base 12 system (duodecimal) has been used frequently in history. Base 16 (hexadecimal) and base 8 (octal) systems are sometimes used into today's computers.
In base 3:
20120 2 0 1 2 0 81s 27s 9s 3s 1s 3^4 3^3 3^2 3^1 3^0 2(81)+0(27)+1(9)+2(3)+0(1) = 162+9+6 = 177 |
In base 4:
2301 2 3 0 1 64s 16s 4s 1s 4^3 4^2 4^1 4^0 2(64)+3(16)+0(4)+1(1) = 128+48+1 = 177 |
Below is the Sumerian base 60 system, which had the confusing flaw of 60 and 1 being represented by the same symbol.