Base 5 to Base 42

Base 5

In base 5, each digit position represents a power of 5: the rightmost digit counts individual ones, the next counts groups of 5, the next counts groups of 5×5, and so on — the same place-value idea as base 10, just with 5 distinct digits instead of ten.

Base 42

Base 42 works the same way: the rightmost digit counts ones, the next counts groups of 42, the next counts groups of 42×42, and so on, using 42 distinct digits.