Base (The Base)

In mathematics, a "base" (or "number system") is the foundation for representing numbers. It determines how many unique digits are used and how numbers are constructed. For example, decimal (base 10) uses digits 0-9, while binary (base 2) uses 0 and 1. The base influences how we write and interpret numbers: in base 10, the value of each digit depends on its position times powers of 10; in binary, it's powers of 2. Bases provide versatile ways to encode, store, and process numerical information efficiently across different technologies and applications.