DECIMAL NUMBER SYSTEM

also called Hindu-arabic, or Arabic, Number System, in mathematics, positional numeral system employing 10 as the base and requiring 10 different numerals, the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and a dot (decimal point). In this scheme, the numerals used in denoting a number take different place values depending upon position. In a base-10 system the number 543.21 represents the sum (5 102)+(4 101)+(3 100)+(2 10-1)+ (1 10-2). See number system.