Numeration Systems

Although most base 2 numeration systems have now been replaced by decimal (or base 10) systems, the base 2 system was one of the most common numeration systems in ancient times. In a base 2 system, to indicate a number like three or four, the person says "two-and-one" or "two-and-two." The number 10 is indicated with "two-and-two-and-two-and-two-and-two." However, as a person counts to higher and higher numbers in a base 2 system, it becomes harder and harder to remember one's place in the long string of twos. Thus, as cultures grew more complex and needed to count to higher numbers, base 2 systems became obsolete.