Finger binary Finger binary Finger binary is a system for counting and displaying binary numbers on the fingers of one or more hands. It is possible to count from 0 to 31 (2−1) using the fingers of a single hand, or from 0 through 1023 (2−1) if both hands are used. In the binary number system, each numerical digit has two possible states (0 or 1) and each successive digit represents an increasing power of two. Note: What follows is but one of several possible schemes for assigning the values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. to fingers, not necessarily the best.
Chinese number gestures by extending the thumb as "the first", then the index finger as "the second", till all fingers are extended as "the fifth"; then counting can be continued by folding fingers with the same sequence, from thumb through the little finger, for counting from "the sixth" through "the tenth". Repeating the same method for counting larger numbers. One can also starts counting with all fingers extended. Some believe that for formal scenario such as giving speech or presentation, counting with the palm facing the audience and starting with all fingers extended is more polite, since the gesture of folding of fingers