Base 5 (Hand) Numbering
system
- Used primarily before the writing of numbers. The
signs or words used are hand for 5, two hands for 10, person for 20 (two hands and two
feet). Some cultures would count on fingers with 0 being a closed fist and putting a
finger up for one, etc, and some cultures would have 0 being an open hand and 1 would be
signified by putting a digit down with 5 represented by a closed fist or 5 down.
- Base 5 was used not as a formalized place value, but
rather as a grouping value that combined with other values to a larger grouping value. For
example 2 fives (two hands) are 10, 4 fives (two hands and two feet-or person) are 20. 12
fives are 60. Each of the groups 10, 20 and 60 were developed into more rigorous numbering
systems throughout our globe's cultural history.
- The use of 5 as a grouping value is easily understood
as the hand has 5 digits. This grouping was used for several hundreds of thousands of
years by many cultures around our globe.
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Last update on 01/26/98
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