UNDERSTANDING ALTERNATIVE

COUNTING SYSTEMS
The Basics
The “normal” number system is called base-10.
This means that numbers 1-9 each have their
own digit and everything above them is a
combination of digits instead of its own digit.
When you count to the base number, you
“loop” the symbol back to zero and add a
symbol in front of it to signify that a loop has
taken place. This is how you get 10. When the
number of loops reaches the base number, you
start a new “loopcount” in front of it. This is
how you get 100.
Let “n” be a number of your choice. A base n
system loops at n, and has n digits with their
own symbols. N is not one of them. Note that
all of this advice applies only to conventional
positional notation systems. Don’t mention
loops to your math professor.
Bases smaller than ten

Let’s use base six as our example of a base

smaller than ten. This means there are less
symbols than you’re used to, and numbers
quickly start looking much bigger than they
really are to your base ten-acclimated eyes.
Base six uses the following symbols:
0,1,2,3,4,5
10 means six.
20 means twelve.
32 means twenty.

Practice by converting these numbers to base

ten:
80

45

101
Bases larger than ten

Let’s use base twelve, or dozennial, as our

example of a base larger than ten. Since we
need twelve unique digits and our default
number system only has ten, we need two new
ones. This means numbers quickly start looking
smaller than you’re used to.
Base twelve uses the folowing symbols:
0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B
A means ten.
B means eleven.
10 means twelve.
2B means thirty-five.

Convert these numbers to base ten:

30

69

108
Here, you have to convert base ten numbers to
other systems. Correct answers are on the last
page.
Thank you for reading!

Base ten Base two (binary) Base eleven (ten is A)

13
6
100
Correct answers

Page two:
48
29
61

Page three:
36
81
128

Page four:
Base two Base eleven
1101 12
110 6
1100100 91