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Two Methods:Binary (Base 2) MethodBase 12 Method

While there are far more practical ways to Count to 99 on Your Fingers, it can be illuminating to try to count on your fingers using a binary rather than base 10 number system. Here is how you can do it.

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EditMethod 1 of 2: Binary (Base 2) Method

  1. Count on Your Fingers Using Binary Numbers Step 1 Version 2.jpg
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    Set the rules to have each finger stands for a single binary digit. Specifically (1, 2, 4, 8, ... (doubling each time)). Using this method, you can count to 1,023 on your hands. It takes a lot of effort, however. This is the highest possible where each finger can only be up or down and you only use fingers (it is possible to have the orientation of the hand itself mean something or to have fingers that are up, down). This is the highest possible because each position corresponds to a single number, and no two positions correspond to the same number.
    • Example 1: The first six fingers is the number 111111base2 --> 1+2+4+8+16+32 = 63base10 ...
    • Example 2: Ninety-nine is the first seven fingers with only the 1st two and last two extended is the number 1100011base2 --> 1+2+0+0+0+32+64 = 99base10 ...
      • Note: The formal definition of binary uses exponents for the place values which are powers of 2 meaning based on 2n for n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... so that is equal to 20, 21, 22, 23, ...
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EditMethod 2 of 2: Base 12 Method

  1. Count on Your Fingers Using Binary Numbers Step 2 Version 2.jpg
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    Start with your thumb not touching any fingers (this is 0).
  2. Count on Your Fingers Using Binary Numbers Step 3 Version 2.jpg
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    Touch the tip of your pointer with your thumb (1), now move your thumb down to the segment of your finger between the first two joints (2), now move your thumb down to the next segment between your joint and your palm (3). Now move your thumb over to the tip of your middle finger (4).
  3. Count on Your Fingers Using Binary Numbers Step 4 Version 2.jpg
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    Repeat until you are on your pinkie right next to your palm (11).
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    When you get to 12, start on your other hand and start over on your first. Base 12 is highly useful because it shares common factors with many small numbers making dividing easy to figure out (2, 3, 4, 6).

    Count on Your Fingers Using Binary Numbers Step 5.jpg
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Categories: Hacks

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Español: Cómo contar con los dedos de la mano en sistema binario

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