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Everyone is familiar with the base 10 number system, and you probably also have at least a passing acquaintance with the base 2 system, in which the only digits are 0 and 1. However, these common systems are only the beginning of the numerical diversity that awaits you in this chapter! Some of the lesser-known systems are merely curiosities thus far, but others, such as base 11 and base 16, have found application in mathematical proofs, in computer science, and in modern technology.

Learn more about everyday number systems and others that you may never have seen before. You'll see how continued fractions have been used to find rational (fractional) approximations of irrational numbers like pi. Finally, just for fun, you can try out the mysterious "spigot" algorithm, which (literally!) caused jaws to drop when it was introduced at an American Mathematical Society meeting.