this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2024
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Dad Jokes
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Someone else who knows how to finger count in base-12 and binary!
I think the binary one I learned as a joke, show someone they are number four.
The base-12 was an explanation for how the ancient Sumerians finger counted, using the other hand's fingers for groups of 12, leading to base 60 (5×12).
I have the same problem with binary counting practically though, and using a modified Sumerian system (both hands to 12) gets you to 144, which is plenty for anything where finger counting is actually useful.
One other thing, I use the finger bones rather than the knuckles, little easier but same idea.
If only we could combine the two and get to 2^12... Sadly, this would require 12 thumbs.
Ooh, actually you can get to 2^8 without worrying about those pesky tendon issues by putting your fingertips against your thumb instead of trying to extend your fingers... Hmmm... Maybe we can even go to 2^10 this way by incorporating knuckles. Might lose some time today figuring out more hand counting systems. I wonder if anything higher than 2^10 is possible...
Some might say it's giving finger counting too much thought, others might say it's a tangent too serious for dad jokes, I say… the efficiency gains seem to come from a change in technique for how a count is stored.
Base-10 finger counting technique just accumulates, the number of fingers held up is the count.
Base-12 uses a pointer (your thumb) to point to a value (a knuckles or finger segment).
Base-2 uses a finger up or down to show a place value as one or zero.
You could tattoo numbers on your forearm so all five fingers from your other hand could point to a value for up to five more places to point.
(Western) base-10 needs two hands. Base-12 is one-handed. (There's a base-10 system used in China that's one-handed, mind. Or, rather, it's one-handed until you reach 10.)
Also some maths operations can be done fairly easily (like division) with the base-12 finger-counting system.