👉 Papua Math, also known as Paluh Math or Paluh Mat, is a non-standard arithmetic system developed by the indigenous people of Papua, an Indonesian province in Papua New Guinea. It is a base-27 numeral system, meaning numbers are represented using 27 distinct symbols, including dots, bars, and other characters. This system is unique in its structure, where each digit can range from 0 to 26, and the positional values are powers of 27 rather than powers of 10 as in conventional arithmetic. The complexity and non-standard nature of Papua Math reflect the cultural and historical context of its users, who have adapted this system to meet their specific needs for trade, communication, and record-keeping in a region with diverse linguistic and social environments.
