How do you do base 4 math? - Answers

To do base 4 math, think of the ones as the numbers 0,1,2 or 3 just as with base ten the ones are 0,1,2...9 (NOT 10) the next digits in base ten is the tens, so if we have 20 that is 0 ones and 2 tens. Ten is 10^1 for base 10 , the equivalent of the tens is the 4's so, in base 4,10 is zero ones and 1 four which is 4 in base 10. Next, 11 in base 4 is 1 four and 1 one, so it is 5 in base ten. Then next digit is the 4^2 or 16's just like the next digit in base ten is the 10^2 or 100 100 is 16 and 101 is 16+1 or 17 and 111 is 16+1+4 or 21 1111 in base 4 is 85, do you see why? Now you add, subtract, multiply and divide just as you do with base ten, but you have to remember that once you get more than 3 in the ones, you move to the 4's and more than the most you can have in the fours column is 3 since 4 of them is 16 and that is the next digit. so for example 3+1 in base 10 is 4 but 3+1 in base 4 is 10 because this is 4 in base four. I hope this gets you started. If you have a specific problem, please ask and we will be gad to help.