Unary Numeral System

The unary numeral system is the bijective base-1 numeral system. It is the simplest numeral system to represent natural numbers: in order to represent a number N, an arbitrarily chosen symbol representing 1 is repeated N times. For example, using the symbol | (a tally mark), the number 6 is represented as ||||||. The Western standard method of counting on one's fingers is effectively a unary system as well as the more eastern method of counting one's finger bones (or phalanges). Unary is most useful in counting or tallying ongoing results, such as the score in a game of sports, since no intermediate results need to be erased or discarded.

Read more about Unary Numeral System:  Clustering, Operations, Comparison With Other Systems

Famous quotes containing the word system:

    Exploitation and oppression is not a matter of race. It is the system, the apparatus of world-wide brigandage called imperialism, which made the Powers behave the way they did. I have no illusions on this score, nor do I believe that any Asian nation or African nation, in the same state of dominance, and with the same system of colonial profit-amassing and plunder, would have behaved otherwise.
    Han Suyin (b. 1917)