# Counting on your fingers in the binary system? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079 "2001-03-30T06:26:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/1 "2001-03-30T06:26:35Z")
Have you learned to count on your fingers in the binary system? You can count, add, subtract, multiply and divide. I learned in the 1950s from a Scientific American article. There are some web sites on the topic. ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/2 "2001-03-30T10:28:40Z")
Strangely enough, I have. I learned adding, subtracting, mutiplying, and dividing binary for a computer science class. Then I was out with a friend for coffee one night and she started counting binary on her fingers. She had learned from some old friends of hers from school, and she showed me how. I haven’t put it to much use (I’m a film production major, and that was my only computer science class), but it’s interesting to do. ---
**Author:** ![dlb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@dlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/3 "2001-03-30T11:31:38Z")
I taught my wife to count in binary on her fingers once. She thought about it for a few moments, looked at me, and said, “FIVE YOU!!!” Thus ended the lesson. ---
**Author:** ![tclouie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@tclouie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tclouie)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/4 "2001-03-30T12:21:33Z")
Ah, it’s so limited. You can only get up to 1,010. The “Rama” computer game, based on Arthur C. Clarke’s book, was great because of all the puzzles you had to solve by computing in base-8 and base-16. And you couldn’t use human numerals either. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/5 "2001-03-30T13:36:10Z")
To the last two messages: It would not be Five you, it would be “Four you.” Using all ten fingers, you can get to 1023. Add a couple elbows and both feet and you can multiply that quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/6 "2001-03-30T14:28:03Z")
I learned how to do it in an article by Fred Pohl in one of his anthologies. It’s a fun trick, but hasn’t been all that useful for me. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/7 "2001-03-30T14:41:05Z")
I can count binary on my calculator. Isn’t that something worthy of praise? ---
**Author:** ![dlb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@dlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlb)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/8 "2001-03-30T14:41:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by berdollos \* > **To the last two messages: > It would not be Five you, it would be "Four you."** Different dialects, you know. In **my** neighborhood, we always stuck the thumb out too. What’s the matter, go hitchhiking on the wrong highway there, berdollos? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/9 "2001-03-30T15:39:58Z")
I thought I was the only one. People usually look at me like I’m a freak when I do it. Oh, and since I put my fingers down when I count that digit, it would be “26 you” instead of 5 you. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/10 "2001-03-30T17:06:57Z")
I too am reassured that I am not the only one. Thanks for letting me know about your existence. ---
**Author:** ![Ma\_Parrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dec6dc/32.png) [@Ma\_Parrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ma_Parrot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/11 "2001-03-30T17:13:04Z")
I used to count in **five-ary** when I worked in a store. People would say “How many of those did I get?” and I would tick them off on my left hand, starting over at five. ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/12 "2001-03-30T18:32:19Z")
The very best numbering system joke (there aren’t that many) when teaching microprocessor control classes: [hold up index finger] What’s this? [subject usually replies “One” or “your finger”] It’s a man in a bar, ordering one beer. [hold up index and middle finger in a “V”] What’s this? [subject usually replies “it’s a man ordering two beers”] No, it’s a Roman in the same bar, ordering five beers. [polite laughter.] [holds up middle finger, in classic pose] What’s this ? [subject usually replies “the finger” or “fuck you”, always pleasant in class] It’s a microprocessor programmer, in the same bar, ordering four beers. [ba-dum] Usually makes the class think you do this stuff too much. And that one was told to me by a veterinarian. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/13 "2001-03-30T19:13:24Z")
And here I thought I was going to be oh-so-cool by pointing out that number-four thing. I guess I’m not the only one who’s ever thought to count in binary on their fingers, eh? Heh… Since nobody’s brought this up, I will - there are certain finger combinations that are hard to do. Try putting down your pinky and leaving the rest of your fingers extended. Most people can’t do it without their ring and middle fingers bending to some degree, too. Now try both the pinky and middle down, the rest up. Good luck! I can do both of these easily on my left hand, as I’ve developed a great deal of finger independence in that hand from playing guitar. But I can’t do it to save my life with my right hand. ---
**Author:** ![shimmery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@shimmery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shimmery)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2001, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/14 "2001-03-30T23:36:23Z")
So?? How do you do it??? ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/15 "2001-03-31T13:21:00Z")
Oi \*_berdollos_, how about providing some links if you’re going to mention web sites? Or should I just give you a 132? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/16 "2001-03-31T13:23:10Z")
Rasselfrassaschmassafrassin’ UBB codes!! _chants_ [sub]I will preview my posts… I will preview my posts…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/17 "2001-03-31T19:18:26Z")
I don’t know how to cite websites, how do you do it? ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/18 "2001-04-01T05:12:29Z")
Once tried to teach myself how to count trinary using joints in fingers, didn’t get to good at it though. Back when I worked at sears in college, I used to amuse myself by converting random numbers (UPC Codes usually) into another base, just to pass the time. These days, I do so much converting from Hex to Binary to Decimal almost do it in the head. (Debugging I2C serial communications software.) ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2001, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/19 "2001-04-07T17:17:24Z")
There is a small reference guide to vB code around here; you can see it when you’re at the “Post Reply” screen. Nevertheless, I’ll be nice and post a [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php?action=bbcode) for you here. Now dish the dirt, I wanna use my fingies as a calculator. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2001, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079/20 "2001-04-07T17:29:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by berdollos \* > **Using all ten fingers, you can get to 1023.** 1. Make two fists. Zero is an integer too. Don’t be offended, I’m just pointing it out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counting-on-your-fingers-in-the-binary-system/60079.md?page=2)