Adding in base 3

Question

1021_3 + 212_3 = _____3 (performaddition in base 3, do not convert tobase 10)

 

Answer 1

Hi Elisabed,

I am answering the question based on the assumption that the 3s at the end of the numbers are indicating the base and in correct mathematical notation they should be subscripts like 1021₃ and 212₃. These are read as "1021 base 3" and "212 base 3". 

 

Like the tutors above pointed out, in base 3, the largest number is 2. Similar to addition in base 10, whenever you get a sum of 3, it will be 0 and a 1 will be carried over and added to the next digit. Then,

    1021 

      212

+_______

     2010   

Hope this makes sense. If not,you can always convert the numbers to base 10, add and then convert to base 3 again. Let me know if you have questions on how to do that.

Answer 2

The numbers given cannot be in base 3. Perhaps 4, yet definitely not 3.