Re: Finger-Counting: More Than Just "This Little Piggy..."

Steg Belsky scripsit:

> Rokbeigalmki's numeral system is based on finger-binary, in which you can
> count up to 31 on one hand, and 1023 using both hands at the same time:
I still think this is too damn hard, because it involves multiple
finger transitions simultaneously, and if you botch any of them,
you lose count.

Better to count using Gray code:  0, 1, 11, 10, 110, 111, 101, 100,
1100, 1101, 1111, 1110, 1010, 1011, 1001, 1000, etc. etc.  You start
with 0, 1, then add a high order 1 and run the sequence backwards.
Then add another high-order 1 and run the entire sequence backwards.
Then add another high-order 1 and run the entire sequence backwards.
Then add another high-order 1 and run the entire sequence backwards.
Then add another high-order 1 and run the entire sequence backwards.
..

You get just as much efficiency as binary, and you never have to move
more than one finger per transition.

--
John Cowan <jcowan@...>     http://www.reutershealth.com
I amar prestar aen, han mathon ne nen,    http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
han mathon ne chae, a han noston ne 'wilith.  --Galadriel, _LOTR:FOTR_