8 fingers? (obscure mathematical point)

Since everyone in the Simpsons universe has 8 fingers, wouldn't they have developed a base-8 numerical system rather than the standard decimal system we use?

"simpsfan" wrote in message news:[email]...

math was passed down to the simpsons by God who has 10 fingers :)

You mean, octal?

It was commonly used in some computers, even in the early days of small computers. I could never wrap myself around it, but then I was using computers that wanted things in hexadecimal.

Michael

"Michael Black" wrote in message news:bjm3ui$t5c$[email]...

It's still used for the 'chmod' command in UNIX to set permissions but its not used for very much else.

You're making the now-discredited assumption that the common decimal system was created due to humans having ten digits. In fact, other systems such as the base-12 and base-60 system have been used by cultures such as the Sumerians and the Mayans. (Of course they're not around anymore....but anyway).

Carbon Todd writes:

Discredited? I assume that you'll be providing a source.

Doug

base 12 was from the number of lunar orbits per year. base 60 is that times five, the number if digits on one hand

Perhaps the simpsons are using octal and we don't know it. Unless they say something like "seven plus one is ten", it is hard to know.

Or perhaps -- I know this is crazy -- perhaps the simpsons aren't real.

"TCS" wrote in message news:[email]...

wrote:

acually seven plus one in octal is not "ten" it is either "eight" or "one zero" or some new name.

On 10 Sep 2003 16:16:22 GMT, TCS wrote:

Ahhhhh, but there is the price on the register in the opening sequence: 847.63. So the Simpsons use at least base-9.

	D'oh!

-Jones

Military Phonetic version of my address to spoof spam: jones at November Echo Tango Sierra Echo Tango dot Charlie Oscar Mike

Unless 8 is their mathematical symbol for 5.

"Jones" wrote in message news:[email]...

For that matter, I sometimes use my fingers to keep track in binary.

Michael

That "in fact" seems to indicate you are offering the second sentence in support of the assertion in the first sentence, which is rather puzzling, since the truth of the second sentence neither refutes nor supports the notion that the decimal system came from humans having ten digits. All the second sentence shows is that whatever reason was behind the decimal system was not so compelling as to rule out using other systems. It says nothing about what that reason was.

It also says nothing about the Mayans having in fact used a number system that was based neither on 12 nor on 60.

especially considering that 60 is 5*12, the number of digits on one hand multiplied by the number of lunar cycles in a year. Base 60 is tied to the number of digits of the human hand as much as base 10 is.

I don't think lunar cycles has much to do with the common use of base twelve. Base twelve has more factors (2, 3, 4, 6) than base ten (2, 5) which made it more attractive for uses such as keeping time and measuring short distances (as used in construction).

60: Because 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60 all go in to it. 360 would work better, because 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15... et cedera... go into it. But then again, 360 is a bit large

There's also base 5 systems used by humans. I thought the Maya had base five. And Romans, but that's pushing it.

Carbon Todd wrote:

"simpsfan" wrote in message news:[email]...

universe has 8 fingers, wouldn't they

system rather than the standard

I'm curious as to why the number of fingers we have bears any resemblance to the counting system? Considering the points that have already been made (base 12 and base 60 systems, etc) and even modern counting systems including Imperial measurements (feet, inches, yards, etc). I don't see the connection between digits and decimalisation.

i'd have said sure, but then i remebered that its a CARTOON

sorry, i get out of control "Sebastian Doyle" wrote in message news:bkc71t$2vg$[email]...

i'm pretty sure that at some point in a junior mathematics class we were taught of the relevance between nature (usually finger numbers), and of the different number systems which arose (or were thought to arise) from it. we were told of base 8 and a base 12 system, which were thought to have been caused by a group of people who counted between their fingers, which can give 8 gaps between fingers, and 12 gaps if you count outside your little fingers and thumbs. at some point in simpson's world history, perhaps a group countented the gaps including outside their eight fingers, producing a base 10 system which was eventually accepted as the norm.