In mathematics, process of designating numbers according to a particular
system. In any system of numeration a base number is specified, and groupings are
then made by powers of the base number. The most widely used system of numeration
is the Decimal System, which uses base 10. In the decimal system the numeral
302 means (3 × 10^2) + (0 × 10^1) + (2 × 10^0 ), or 300 + 0 + 2. The binary
system, used in most computers, has a base of 2 and only two digits, 0 and 1. The
binary numeral 101 means (1 × 2^2) + (0 × 2^1) + (1 × 2^0), i.e., 4 + 0 + 1, or
5 in the decimal system. The decimal numeral 5 and the binary numeral 101 thus
represent the same number. The ancient Babylonians used a system of base 60,
which survives in our smaller divisions of Time and Angle, i.e., minutes and Seconds.