Doug Kerr
Well-known member
A little over 70 years ago, a four-year old boy, visiting his grandparents for a few weeks in the summer, sat at their breakfast table with his step-grandfather, pointed to the year in large type on a calendar hanging on the wall, and said, "You know, Grandpa, this number (pointing to the tens digit) was '3' last year, and I think the year before, but now it's '4'." Grandpa nodded.
Thus was the wonder of n-ary numbering systems, and the concept of carry to higher places, first recognized by that young mind.
It's why, for example, our society thankfully decided to conclude that the current calendar millennium would begin in the year 2000 CE, not 2001 (despite pleas from those who wanted to make something of the fact that there was no "year 0"). The fact was that we had for a long time identified decades by the tens digit of the year (nobody wanted to think that the "40's" began in 1941, and thus included all of 1950!), and centuries by the hundreds digit, and there was no reason to do otherwise for a millennium.
A little while later, that same fellow began to contemplate the fact that the thousands digit would not change until he was 63, and wondered if he would still be alive at that unimaginable future time. But in fact he saw that carry happen, and will (God willing) see tonight's "carry to the tens' place".
So for all those who observe (or at least note) the Common Era calendar, Carla and I wish you the very best as both the units and tens digits of the year change. And for all, regardless of your calendraic persuasion, we wish the very best at each tick of the clock (you are free to choose your own resolution).
Thus was the wonder of n-ary numbering systems, and the concept of carry to higher places, first recognized by that young mind.
It's why, for example, our society thankfully decided to conclude that the current calendar millennium would begin in the year 2000 CE, not 2001 (despite pleas from those who wanted to make something of the fact that there was no "year 0"). The fact was that we had for a long time identified decades by the tens digit of the year (nobody wanted to think that the "40's" began in 1941, and thus included all of 1950!), and centuries by the hundreds digit, and there was no reason to do otherwise for a millennium.
A little while later, that same fellow began to contemplate the fact that the thousands digit would not change until he was 63, and wondered if he would still be alive at that unimaginable future time. But in fact he saw that carry happen, and will (God willing) see tonight's "carry to the tens' place".
So for all those who observe (or at least note) the Common Era calendar, Carla and I wish you the very best as both the units and tens digits of the year change. And for all, regardless of your calendraic persuasion, we wish the very best at each tick of the clock (you are free to choose your own resolution).