Unlike our everyday counting system that uses tens, binary uses just two numbers, 0 and 1. Learn more with BBC Bitesize. Suitable for KS3 students.

Imaginary numbers play a crucial role in mathematics because for many problems, they’re easier to work with than real numbers. But proving that elliptic curves are modular over imaginary quadratic ...

India, by adding zero to the positional number system, unleashed the true power of numbers, advancing mathematics from infancy to adolescence, and from rudimentary toward its current sophistication.

The math works perfectly in each case. In the usual decimal system, the number 17 (that is, a 1 followed by a 7) indicates that you have to calculate 10 + 7 × 1 (17 = 1 × 10 + 7 × 1).

These devices remained in use for centuries after Rome fell. I’ve been talking about the Romans, but remember, their numbering system was still the only one that numerate medieval Europeans had ...

But for numbers 20 through 80, they used a binary system, with separate, one-word terms for 20, 40 and 80. For really large numbers, they used powers of 10 up to at least 10 million.