cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/53581443
YSK You can count past 1,000 on your fingers by using binary, instead of just 10
With just one hand, you can count to 31, and with both hands you can reach a whopping 1,023. This is because the placement of the held up fingers matters, rather than the amount.
It can be very useful in everyday use, being able to count to huge numbers when you don’t have your phone or pen and paper nearby.
I don’t really see how that is better than the count to 1035 that you get from binary though.
You just have to add two numbers. With the big number hand you can count hundreds by using the closest segments first, then medium then distant and so on. Hardest additions will make you carry the one once for a case like 19+175 which is easy enough. Also, going from 37 to 38 in binary with fingers you have to close 4 fingers and open one while counting segments you at most move your thumb to the next segments on both hands.
Binary still works fine and is better depending on the specific case but in my opinion counting segments is usually more convenient and base 10 friendly.