Show HN: Primeval Numbers(aravind.rs)

25 pointsby aravindet2 anni fa11 comments

https://aravind.rs/numbers

12 comments

The idea came out of an attempt to represent numbers without having to choose an arbitrary base, i.e. an alternative to the place value system.

Just to be clear, this is an art project with no practical use that I can think of. It's hard to count using these numbers, but factoring them is trivial.

dullcrisp2 anni fa

What logic does it use for when to use a +1? One thing I noticed: if I give it 100,000 it gives me 2^5•5^5. But if I give it 100,001, instead of 2^5•5^5+1, it gives (2•5 + 1)•(2•3^2•5•(2^2•5^2 + 1) + 1), which seems sub-optimal.

aravindet2 anni fa

It only uses the +1 for prime numbers. 100,001 is not prime.

This rule ensures that there is a unique representation for every number.

aaron52 anni fa

Fantastic! Thank you for explaining this.

aredox2 anni fa

Further down the prime numbers rabbit hole: you can do computation from prime numbers decomposition and fractions:

https://wiki.xxiivv.com/site/fractran.html

auggierose2 anni fa

I don't get it. Is there a particular reason why prime number bases are further broken down via "+1"? And where do you stop with that? For example, "5" is not further broken down into 2^2+1.

Edit: Oh, have not seen the drawings...

dbaupp2 anni fa

Interesting idea.

It looks like powers of larger primes are currently rendered with the exponent ring overlapping the "main" rings, e.g. 7 and 49 look the identical, while 343 has an overlapping 2 and 3 knot.

aravindet2 anni fa

True! Thanks for the bug report, I'll try to make the exponent rings larger.

netvarun2 anni fa

Very slick interface and implementation! This is why I love coming to HN!

aravindet2 anni fa

Thank you!

ninthcat2 anni fa

7 and 49 look the same.

[deleted]2 anni fa