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Kaktovik Numerals

Tool to convert or write Kaktovik numbers. The Kaktovik numerals are used in Alaska by Inuit peoples.

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Kaktovik Numerals -

Tag(s) : Numeral System, Symbol Substitution

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Kaktovik Numerals

Kaktovik writer/Encoder

 Display as Images (as above) Value in Base 20 Unicode characters (𝋃𝋇𝋋𝋓)

Answers to Questions (FAQ)

What are Kaktovik numbers? (Definition)

Kaktovik numbers or numerals (or Iñupiaq numerals) are a positional base 20 numeral system used by Inuit/Inupiat peoples in Alaska and Canada.

How to write in Kaktovik numerals?

Start by converting the number to base 20 (see explanations on converting to base N).

Then replace each number (from 0 to 19) with the corresponding Kaktovik symbol:

Decimal
Value
UnicodeImage
0𝋀
1𝋁
2𝋂
3𝋃
4𝋄
5𝋅
6𝋆
7𝋇
8𝋈
9𝋉
10𝋊
11𝋋
12𝋌
13𝋍
14𝋎
15𝋏
16𝋐
17𝋑
18𝋒
19𝋓

Example: 123 is written $[6, 3]_{20}$ in base 20 (car $123 = 6 \times 20^1 + 3 \times 20^0$) so in Kaktovik.

How to convert a Kaktovik number into decimal?

To write a Kaktovik number in classic decimal representation, locate each symbol and replace it with the associated number (between 0 and 19) so as to obtain a positional numeration in base 20 which will still have to be converted into base 10 (decimal).

Example: corresponds to [3,1,14] in base 20 so $3 \times 20^2 + 1 \times 20 + 14 = 1234$ in decimal (base 10)

How to recognize a Kaktovik numerals? (Identification)

The digits of the Kaktovik numeral consist of 1 to 5 vertical bars (forming W) and 1 to 5 horizontal bars (forming )

Any references to Inuit, Iñupiats or even Inuktitut are clues.

When were Kaktovik numerals invented?

The count was developed in 1994 in Kaktovik, a town in Alaska by a group of students.

Source code

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