How to count to 1000 on two hands

Typically when we think of counting on two hands, we count up to 10, but fingers can contain much more information than that! This video shows how to think about counting in binary.

[stuffstuff]

Teacher: What's 2+2?
Me: *Flips teacher off*

[jfb-]

If you have infinitely many fingers, you can count to -1.

[soniczdawun]

And now "A big 132 to you" has become an insanely obscure insult.

[MrBeiragua]

There are 10 types of people. Those who get this video, and those who don't.

[NoriMori]

The great thing about finger-counting is, once the process becomes automatic, you don't even need to count. You can just let your fingers go, and at any given point you can stop and know exactly how far you got.

[darkmage]

You can count to 242 on one hand and 59048 on two hands if you use the ability to only partially extend a finger and count in ternary. A bit tricky at times, but it works.

[rezzpls]

*Flips you off*

“Sorry I was just counting to 4.”

[ohno]

This is the opposite of clickbait: 2.3% more content than the title said

[pedrobntto]

one time I asked someone how much was 2 + 2 and I was given the finger as answer. In fact, that actualy was correct!!

[midston]

0:10
So that's why 4 is unlucky in Japan.

[eldermartins]

2:27
Me: look at my toes
Toes: You won't do it, will you?

[StriderZessei]

Masahiro Sakurai: I'm about to launch this man's whole career.

[RobertShane]

2:12 69 is pretty accurate. Pause the video and use "<" or ">" on your keyboard to skip single frames.

[DanielHarveyDyer]

I learned this when I was a kid, and practiced it to the point where I could cycle through the numbers with either hand almost without thinking. Initially just as a novelty, but in adult life I have actually come across a lot of situations where it is really useful to be able to store 5-bit numbers physically without pen and paper:

Counting elapsed times that run over midnight (or midday if you use a 12 hour clock) by reciting the names of the hours "8 o'clock, 9 o'clock ... 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock" while counting the hours with a hand.

Recalling all the elements of a set and counting the elements that meet some criteria (like remembering who you invited to your birthday party and counting if they are vegetarian or if they don't drink alcohol).

[sofiarosati]

A nice property is that if you want to multiply a number by two you simply cycle the fingers position to the left by one, so for exmple 7*2=14 => 111 becomes 1110.
More generally if you multiply a number by a power n of two you cycle to the left n times: 3*64=3*2^6=192 => 11 becomes
(It's obvious, but it's nice to see it so clearly on my fingers!)

[stotab]

who's here after the Smash direct?

[AlmightyMatthew]

wow my hands arent nearly as dexterous. it gets hard after 8 cause my ring finger doesnt want to stay up

[HanYang]

im pretty sure one of these gotta be a gang sign~

[bungus]

So 420 is your middle finger up on the right hand, and the shocker on your left

[pranamd]

You can actually count to any number n^10-1, provided you can hold each finger in n distinct positions. For n=3, a finger down is a "0", a finger up just to the knuckle is "1", and a finger all the way up is a "2". You could count all the way up to either 59048 or RSI that way, whichever comes first.