[hl0m4n]

im taking a class called dawn of math which counts as a history class. so i have this question that got me puzzled. anyone that gets it is truely boss .

using your knowledge of our number system and that of the Babylonians (base 60), explicitly describe a process that can be used to add numbers in a base 5 place value system. include examples using the process you describe. your examples should be chosen carefully to illustrate the intricacies of addition base 5. your audience is a person who only knows how to add in our base 10 system, give a written explanation of how you add in base 5 and be specific.

[bmwmthree]

no chelsea, no care

[hks786]

Originally Posted by bmwmthree

no chelsea, no care

haha

[radix]

Here's how radix 10 (decimal) works. Your digits are 0 - 9.

1 x 10^3 + 9 x 10^2 + 3 x 10^1 + 9 x 10^0 = 1939

Here's radix 5, your digits are 0 - 4.

1 x 5^3 + 2 x 5^2 + 4 x 5^1 + 2 x 5^0

Translating the groups to decimal:


1 x 5^3 = 125
2 x 5^2 = 50
4 x 5^1 = 20
2 x 5^0 = 2

So the sum total in decimal is 197. Therefore 1242 base 5 = 197 base 10.


Got it?

[radix]

Oh and the general form for a base n number of x digits (think of x as representing place).

y * n^(x-1) + y * n^(x-2) + ... + y * n^(x-x)


where y is any whole number smaller than n. So if n = 4 you have base 4. x would represent the number of places, let's say three, and y can be any number less than n in any place x.

3 * 4^2 + 2 * 4^1 + 0 x 4^0 = 320

in decimal would read

48 + 8 + 0 = 56

So 320 base 4 is 56 base 10.

[hl0m4n]

Originally Posted by radix

Here's how radix 10 (decimal) works. Your digits are 0 - 9.

1 x 10^3 + 9 x 10^2 + 3 x 10^1 + 9 x 10^0 = 1939

Here's radix 5, your digits are 0 - 4.

1 x 5^3 + 2 x 5^2 + 4 x 5^1 + 2 x 5^0

Translating the groups to decimal:


1 x 5^3 = 125
2 x 5^2 = 50
4 x 5^1 = 20
2 x 5^0 = 2

So the sum total in decimal is 197. Therefore 1242 base 5 = 197 base 10.


Got it?

hey radix, this question is from a take home test i have due today in about 4 hours. it is 5.28am now and i am brain dead and need some sleep. i will be using what you gave me as the answer, will let you know when it is graded; hope your right .

[radix]

Originally Posted by hl0m4n

hey radix, this question is from a take home test i have due today in about 4 hours. it is 5.28am now and i am brain dead and need some sleep. i will be using what you gave me as the answer, will let you know when it is graded; hope your right .

I knew I shouldn't have given you an answer in base 5. Don't be a damned cheat.

[radix]

Oh well, I didn't give an example of how to add in base 5, and since you were so quick to crib my answer, I'm not going to.

[Freakazoid]

Originally Posted by radix

I knew I shouldn't have given you an answer in base 5. Don't be a damned cheat.

Haha I was a little surprised you didn't go base 2

[hl0m4n]

Originally Posted by radix

Oh well, I didn't give an example of how to add in base 5, and since you were so quick to crib my answer, I'm not going to.

what do you mean by "crib" your answer? you helped me answer my question and i can only thank you for that

[Searcher821]

I just thought of Igor ...