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https://youtu.be/U_lKUK2MCsg?t=171

Grant Sanderson (3Blue1Brown channel) (auto-generated subtitles):

I think the way that we extend to the real numbers there's a little bit of choice in that so there's this funny number system called the serial numbers

I've tried googling serial/sereal/servial/sevial number system but found only modern codes to identify staff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_numeral_systems is rather long and Grant had not given much detail what to look for even if it's there. What's the system he mentioned properly called? Any good links to read about? TIA

Martian2020
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  • Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking. – Community Apr 24 '23 at 11:23

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Sanderson said “surreal numbers”.

Like Jamie Radcliffe, I also suggest Conway's On Numbers and Games and Knuth's Surreal Numbers.

MJD
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  • Thanks. Do you know why it does not seem to be mentioned on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_numeral_systems ? Added: I guess it is because "numerical", not "number" systems. If so there is no proper page for list of systems at all. – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 11:37
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    That is a list of numeral systems. Those are systems for writing down numbers. It is not a list of systems of numbers themselves. The page you needed was List of types of numbers. – MJD Apr 24 '23 at 11:40
  • Yea, I've already guessed just now. Please see edited comment above. – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 11:41
  • Why there seems to be no page in wiki at all for list of number systems? – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 11:44
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    @Martian2020 I had no trouble finding it. I started with “number system”, which redirected to the "main classification" section of the article on "number". The “number” article does mention surreal numbers, and the “main classfication” section begins with a note: “For systems which express numbers, see Numeral system. See also: List of types of numbers”. That second one seems to be the list you wanted. – MJD Apr 24 '23 at 11:45
  • Thanks. When I started on wiki page and used search for “number systems” I got just number page w/out section. I see "https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_types_of_numbers" seems to be one containing non-standard numbers. However if it could be called "number systems" as a regular wiki/google user I'd like at least a wiki page called "list of number systems" with redirection to that one. Does it makes sense? I think I can do it if we agree it is not incorrect in principle. TIA – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 12:04
  • Wikipedia policy on this sort of thing is “be bold”. Go ahead and edit the “number systems” redirect and see if anyone puts it back. If not, great; if someone does change it back, no harm was done. – MJD Apr 24 '23 at 16:19
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You’re looking for the surreal numbers. They appear in Conway’s “On Numbers and Games” and a book by Knuth, quite lighthearted, called “Surreal Numbers”.

Jamie Radcliffe
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  • Interesting, I could not find "surreal" word on wiki page I've mentioned. So it's rather unknown system I presume, correct? Added: other answer gave wiki link. Is it worth adding that page to the list? – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 11:33
  • That article is about ways to write down numbers, not about other number systems. – David Lui Apr 24 '23 at 11:38
  • Then seems there is no proper page for list of number systems at all in wiki. (Or google/wiki do not find it.) Maybe create one? – Martian2020 Apr 24 '23 at 11:42
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-adic_number And there’s a nice video by veritasium on youtube

Fredrik Wahlgren
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