Base 10

In base 10, each digit position represents a power of 10: the rightmost digit counts individual ones, the next counts groups of 10, the next counts groups of 10×10, and so on — the same place-value idea as base 10, just with 10 distinct digits instead of ten.

Base 21

Base 21 works the same way: the rightmost digit counts ones, the next counts groups of 21, the next counts groups of 21×21, and so on, using 21 distinct digits.