Most computers use binary, but some actually use a lesser-known base called "balanced ternary". Let me show you how that cool base works, starting with some puzzles and building up to some awesome mathematical abilities that "balanced" bases have! (see below for links to the other videos I've made about different bases)

To clarify a few things people asked about in the comments:
-- Some people in the comments seem offended about the laptop destruction. That was not a functional computer. I would have needed to dispose of it in any case. I just had fun using it as a prop first.
-- Yes, ternary computers have actually been made before! For example, some were manufactured by the Soviet Union in the past. They have never been as widespread as binary computers, but you never know what the future may hold!
-- In the weighing puzzle, by "test" the weight of a target item, I mean that you have to find a way to "equal" the item's exact weight (as if figuring out that it is a particular weight and confirming it is precisely that)

Here are some previous episodes I've made about different bases:
How to Count in Base Negative 10 -    • How to Count in Base Negative 10  
How to Count in Fractional and Irrational Bases -    • How to Count in Fractional and Irrati...  
How to Count in Base 2i -    • How to Count in Base 2i  
Patterns Across the "Basic" Bases:    • Base 1010 and the Realm of Number Rep...  

By the way, I've started putting shorts on this channel but they typically won't go to notifications or subscription feeds (they typically have been on my @Domotro channel and did so well for that channel that I want more people on that shorts page to find this channel too). They will be available on the "shorts" tab on this channel, and I will link the recent ones in video descriptions like this. Here are the two I've put on this channel so far:
Here's the newest one:    • Shorts  
Here's one about a geometric representation of the "difference of squares" identity:    • Shorts  
Here's one about the difference between 1/0 and 0/0:    • Shorts  

Special thanks to Evan Clark and to all of my Patreon supporters:
Max, George Carozzi, Peter Offut, Tybie Fitzhugh, Henry Spencer, Mitch Harding, YbabFlow, Joseph Rissler, Plenty W, Quinn Moyer, Julius 420, Philip Rogers, Ilmori Fajt, Brandon, August Taub, Ira Sanborn, Matthew Chudleigh, Cornelis Van Der Bent, Craig Butz, Mark S, Thorbjorn M H, Mathias Ermatinger, Edward Clarke, and Christopher Masto, Joshua S, Joost Doesberg, Adam, Chris Reisenbichler, Stan Seibert, Izeck, Beugul, OmegaRogue, Florian, William Hawkes, Michael Friemann, Claudio Fanelli, and Julian Zassenhaus.
(To join that list of people supporting this channel, and get cool bonus content, check out the Combo Class Patreon at   / comboclass  )

If you want to mail me anything (such as any clocks/dice/etc. that you'd like to see in the background of Grade -2), here's my private mailbox address (not my home address). If you're going to send anything, please watch this short video first:    • You Can Now Mail Me Things to Put in ...  
Domotro
1442 A Walnut Street, Box # 401
Berkeley, CA 94709

Come chat with other combo lords on the Discord server here:   / discord  
and there is a subreddit here:   / comboclass  

If you want to try to help with Combo Class in some way, or collaborate in some form, reach out at combouniversity(at)gmail(dot)com

In case people search any of these words, some topics mentioned in this video are: balanced base 3 (balanced ternary), weighing puzzles that encode numeral bases, other balanced bases, symmetry, truncating numbers vs. rounding numbers, a possibility for a ternary currency system, the powers of 3, threevens vs. throdds, the mathematician donald knuth, how and why most computers use binary compared to some computers that use balanced ternary, and more!

If you're reading this, you must be interested in Combo Class. Make sure to leave a comment on this video so the algorithm shows it to more people :)

DISCLAIMER: Do not copy any uses of fire, sharp items, or other dangerous tools or activities you may see in this series. These videos are for educational (and entertainment) purposes.