Base 1 usually uses ones, because it represents summation at that point. Using zero as the numeral would be a bit awkward. Also historically zero is pretty new.
Numbering systems all essentially evolved from base 1. People started out keeping track of wheat/barley using tally marks representing a single stalk, then creating different tally marks representing bushels, baskets, etc. More intentionally designed number systems based on things like the number of fingers on our hands came later.
Base 1 is “base 0”.
0 is expressed as .
1 is 0.
2 is 00, and so on.
Base 1 usually uses ones, because it represents summation at that point. Using zero as the numeral would be a bit awkward. Also historically zero is pretty new.
Tally marks are essentially a base 1 system.
Numbering systems all essentially evolved from base 1. People started out keeping track of wheat/barley using tally marks representing a single stalk, then creating different tally marks representing bushels, baskets, etc. More intentionally designed number systems based on things like the number of fingers on our hands came later.