The answer is the Alternative Number System (ANS),
which was published in the "Southwest Journal of
Pure and Applied Mathematics" (12/95), by Robert
R. Forslund. ANS seems to be more logical than
the current number system, which uses 0 as a
placeholder. ANS eliminates 0 as a placeholder.
The digit "A" replaces 10, and thus 1A = 20.
The result is that Base 1 (the tally mark system,
which is the logical reality/basis of all number
systems) is NOT invalidated as it is by our current
number system, which uses 0 as a placeholder. ANS
also results in greater data compression, expres-
sed by the use of fewer digits to express a given
number. The measure of the ability to compress
data in this fashion measures the utility of
a given number system versus tally marks.
As I see it, ANS does not invalidate 0 in its use
outside its function as a place holder, such that
even with ANS, we'd still say: y + (-y) = 0. I see
this as a preferable use of 0, since 0 essentially
means "no number," it should not be in numbers.
Here are the webpages on ANS:
http://flash.lakeheadu.ca/~bforslun/rrf01.html
http://rattler.cameron.edu/swjpam/swjpam.html
http://flash.lakeheadu.ca/~bforslun/bob.html
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VISIT Ian Williams Goddard ----> http://www.erols.com/igoddard
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