Land Of Sixteen Fingers

In the strange land of sixteen-fingered people, they have developed a numeral system quite different from our own.

In their land, many of their numbers look like our letters:

I  = 1
L  = 3
 I = 4
U  = 7
C  = 11

n  = 13

Given that information, can you deduce what number is represented by our letter O?

You must explain your answer!

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Land Of Sixteen Fingers Solution

The answer is: 15

The trick is that each of their digits is formed by combinations of side strokes (left and right), top strokes, and bottom strokes.

Since a left stroke is worth 1, and right stroke (the second I) is worth 4, we can conlude that a bottom stroke is worth 2 (L = 1 + 2), and a top stroke is worth 8 (C = 1 + 2 + 8).

Thus, the letter O, which has all four strokes, is worth 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 15!

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