Figure It Out: Gumulgal System

Question 2

Perform operations in Gumulgal (counting by 2s):

(i) Addition: (ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-urapon) + (ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-urapon)

• Left: $2+2+2+2+1 = 9$
• Right: $2+2+2+1 = 7$
• Sum: $16$.
• Gumulgal for 16: Eight ‘ukasar’s.
• Answer: ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar.

(ii) Subtraction: (9) - (5) = 4

• 4 is two 2s.
• Answer: ukasar-ukasar.

(iii) Multiplication: (ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-urapon) $\times$ (ukasar-ukasar)

• $9 \times 4 = 36$.
• Answer: Eighteen ‘ukasar’s strung together.

(iv) Division: (16) $\div$ (2) = 8.

• 8 is four 2s.
• Answer: ukasar-ukasar-ukasar-ukasar.