The rantings of the clinically cheesed off

Whether or not you believe in intelligent extra terrestrial life scientist seem to agree that maths with turn out to be the universal language.  Now, this may well be true, it does have a problem which in themselves can cause issues.

For example the answer to the following sum seems obvious: 1+1 =

Now the answer for us is 2.  Now we use, most commonly, the decimal system of numbering i.e. we can use the digits from 0 to 9 without the need to repeat them. However, commonly in use by us today there are 3 main numbering systems: Binary, decimal and hexadecimal.  Binary only has two digits, 0 and 1, Decimal has ten digits and hexadecimal has sixteen.  So the answer to the sum above, in the three numbering system, is as follows:-

            Binary               = 10

            Decimal            = 2

            Hexadecimal     = 2

So although we get an expected result from two of the numbering systems, from binary we get a result that looks like ten to us. But it is in fact the same answer.

So let’s look at it in a slightly different way. If we take the number 10 for example this means radically different things depending on the numbering system used.  In Decimal it of course means ten. As above in binary it equals two. In Hexadecimal however it is the equivalent of sixteen.

Although the fact that if you have an apple and add another one you have two apples remains the constant.  The way that this number is denoted could be radically different.  The three systems above are those in use by us today.  However, there are many different ways that numbers can be recorded.  It may be that a system similar to the Romans is used.  It is equally possible that they could use a Pentidecimal system or an Octidecimal system.

So although the maths may be the universal language before any communication is possible we need to understand which numbering system they use.