Multiplication tables conceal cubes and tetrahedral numbers . As we see, number systems with different bases have many features in common. Some features are, of course, unique. Base 3 has been used in some early computers. In base 3, numbers are represented with digits 0,1, and 2.
Number systems serve the purpose of representing numbers in different ways.
M.N. Bleicher, D. W. Crowe. The upside of such a representation is that the sign of a number is built in. Positive numbers start with one of 1,2,3, while negative numbers start with one of their counterparts 1',2',3'. Even stranger was a possibility of including even bases into this framework. Addition is better handled with Abacus .