You can count past 1,000 on your fingers by using binary, instead of just 10 (www.mathsisfun.com)

submitted 1 month ago by cm0002@lemmy.cafe to c/til@lemmy.ca

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

YSK You can count past 1,000 on your fingers by using binary, instead of just 10

With just one hand, you can count to 31, and with both hands you can reach a whopping 1,023. This is because the placement of the held up fingers matters, rather than the amount.

It can be very useful in everyday use, being able to count to huge numbers when you don't have your phone or pen and paper nearby.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

pianist here : it shares a tendon with the pinkie so your best bet is to bend at the first finger joint (as opposed to the knuckle) or extend it parallel to the palm at a right angle rather than straight up from it

this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2026

37 points (93.0% liked)

Today I Learned (TIL)

8841 readers

1 users here now

You learn something new every day; what did you learn today?

/c/til is a community for any true knowledge that you would like to share, regardless of topic or of source.

Share your knowledge and experience!

Rules

Information must be true
Follow site rules
No, you don't have to have literally learned the fact today
Posts must be about something you learned

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

Kokomheart@lemmy.ca

JCSpark@lemmy.ca