Comment on Let it sink in.

• ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  Instead of assigning each finger the same value of 1, assign them values of 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16. Then there’s some combination of fingers that can represent any value from 0 to 1+2+4+8+16=31. It’s like using digits to count instead of tally marks, except that instead of having ten digits you only have two.

  source

  • dudeface@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I work with binary every day or a notation of it, don’t worry

    source
• markz@suppo.fi ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  32 different combinations.

  2⁵ = 32.

  source

  • kingofras@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    It’s 2026. You can write the top voted nerd joke and still be dead wrong about the math. We’re in the “You’re absolutely right” era now.

    source

    • doughless@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Which comment is wrong about the math? If you include 0, then 0 to 31 is 32 different combinations.

      source

      • kingofras@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        The OP. It’s 32 not 31.

        source
• Davel23@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  A five-bit value can contain any value from 0-31. So if you treat your fingers as bits...

  source