# Finger Counting

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 14, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280 "2005-04-14T13:36:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280/21 "2005-04-15T13:59:50Z")

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> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> I have never counted fingers. I use the little breaks between each joint: 15 per hand, so I can count all the way to 30 if I need to without taking my shoes off.

That’s the Indian way. You only get to 12 per hand because the thumb is the pointer. I would do it this way too except that I’ve never in my life needed to count something on my fingers.

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280/22 "2005-04-15T14:01:33Z")

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> [@Jackknifed Juggernaut](#):
>
> That’s the Indian way. You only get to 12 per hand because the thumb is the pointer. I would do it this way too except that I’ve never in my life needed to count something on my fingers.

No, I use my thumb, too - just switch to your index finger as the pointer when you need to.

And my mom taught me, and her mom taught her, so I guess it is the Indian way.

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280/23 "2005-04-15T15:04:53Z")

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> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> No, I use my thumb, too - just switch to your index finger as the pointer when you need to.
> 
> And my mom taught me, and her mom taught her, so I guess it is the Indian way.

That’s funny, I was taught that you only use the thumb if you want to count halfs. You use that little bottom portion of the thumb for 1/2. You then “transfer” it to a full section of the finger if you get another 1/2.

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**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finger-counting/299280/24 "2005-04-15T15:44:07Z")

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> [@Shade](#):
>
> Anyone else do binary? It generally flops, but it does mean you can count up to a thousand.

_cough_ post 6 _cough_

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