Bases - What are they? (Part 4) How to write base notation
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How do you symbolize different bases? Is there a way that mathematicians write “base 2″ for example, without having to write out the words?
There are several ways that bases can be symbolized. The two most common are simply to subscript the number of the base to the right and down of the number, like this:
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1012
That lets you know that we are dealing with the number 101 (base two), not the number 101 (base ten). 101 in base two would be 5 in base ten.
Sometimes the base is written out as a word in the subscript, like:
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101two
Depending on the context, one may be more convenient than the other, but both are accepted. It is probably best to use the written out word in subscript, because there are other uses for a subscripted number to the right of a number in math. Using the written out word, as in:
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423six
makes unambiguously clear that you are only talking about a base.
Anyone care to have a shot at what 423six would be in base 10? Leave it in a comment.
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Comment by Karen
I got 159.
Comment by Brian
That’s what I got. Pretty good work, Karen! Thanks for your answer.
Comment by Lim Ee Hai
To side track here, I noticed that writing the base number in a smaller font size and subscripted is an important need to express the number as a base. Here when students did not write according, it becomes another meaning. Therefore maths does train students not only in mathematical theory, it helps them write clearly and in an understandable form.
Comment by Lim Ee Hai
A short remark abour writing the base. Many careless students do not treasue the significance of the subscript or smaller font size with a pegged lower level. This resulted in them having wrong interpretation of their own working later on in the same question.