What's a good numerical base?

[Alinestra Covelia]

My friend Bing is working on a piece of fiction about a non-human intelligent civilization. He has decided that these creatures will have pseudopods, not fingers. Therefore they can have as many fingers as they want at any given time.

Because of this, their numerical system may start off arbitrarily, rather than going to decimal like we did.

We're trying to figure out what base would be better to use than 10, which is only divisible by 2 and 5.

Bing reckons the minimum number of fingers you really need for fine manipulation is three. But a base-3 system isn't very convenient. I'm suggesting a base-6 system, as that's divisible by 2 and 3. Bing has even toyed with a base-8 or a base-12 system.

What do you think?

[Winston]

Bing reckons the minimum number of fingers you really need for fine manipulation is three.

Fine manipulation, you're sure those were his exact words?

[Alinestra Covelia]

He may have said something about opposable digits. Two fingers alone would give you the ability to hold, but you really need three to manipulate implements in three dimensional space.

This is Bing speaking, so we can't be entirely sure he's on the mark. But he hasn't let me down in general. Although once he starts talking about shotguns his eyes glaze over and we have to lead him away by the arm.

[Maniac]

12

[Krill]

Base 13

[Winston]

I was just trying to be naughty about the manipulation bit.

Sorry.

[rah]

Base 9
Then since 9 is 3X3 anyone reading it will start to look for other religious/god references. Since readers find whatever their bias tells them to see, the work of fiction will appear to have deeper levels of meaning.

[Alinestra Covelia]

...

Winston, I owe you an apology. I totally did not see that and now I feel like an idiot. Worse still, I failed to make good use of prime innuendo potential.

...

It's a sad day. If you can, please go forth and be doubly naughty today to make up for my lack of intelligence

[Asher]

Base 16 is the only reasonable base.

[Alinestra Covelia]

How important, mathematically, is it for a base to be divisible by the early primes? 10 is 2 and 5 divisible, but not 3. 6 would be 2 and 3 divisible but not five. The first base that would be divisible by 2, 3, and 5 would be base 30, which is a bit too large for normal everyday use.

Anybody out there good with mathemagical stuffs?

[Winston]

If you can, please go forth and be doubly naughty today

I'll try. By all that is most nudge-nudge worthy, I'll try.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia
Worse still, I failed to make good use of prime innuendo potential.

I didn't intend this, but it came out with a pun already. The day may be salvageable yet.

[KrazyHorse]

Duh. Base 1.

[BeBMan]

They only have one finger??? That sucks.

[DanS]

Base 60. Go Sumerian.