Home > Encyclopedia of Science > Numeration Systems

• Why numeration systems exist
• History
• The bases of numeration systems
• Place value
• Examples of nondecimal numeration systems

Numeration systems are methods for representing quantities. As a simple example, suppose you have a basket of oranges. You might want to keep track of the number of oranges in the basket. Or you might want to sell the oranges to someone else. Or you might simply want to give the basket a numerical code that could be used to tell when and where the oranges came from. In order to perform any of these simple mathematical operations, you would have to begin with some kind of numeration system.

Why numeration systems exist

This...