An expedition to Mars found the ruins of a civilization. The explorers were able to translate the mathematical equations:
5x² - 50x + 125 = 0
with the solutions: x = 5 and x = 8.
The x = 5 solution seemed okay, but x = 8 was puzzling. The problem should be because Martians were using a non-decimal number system. Therefore, "50" is not fifty, but "50" in base b (50b=5×b+0×1=5b). The explorers reflected on the way in which Earth's number system developed.
How many fingers would you say the Martians had? Hint: What should be the value of the base b such that both 5 and 8 are solutions of the equation?