OK....

Now, this _*IS*_ a trick question:

You come across another entity. All you know is that this entity is
intelligent and capable of self-replication. The means are unnecessary
to this discussion. You are genetically identical to a garden spider as
compared to this entity.

How would you communicate? What concept is absolute across the entire
known universe?

Once you think about it, it becomes pretty obvious. Once you get over
that obvious concept, getting to numbers is even more obvious.

Hint: The concept is really-and-truly obvious.
Hint: It would be descriptive of a shared class of things.
Hint: Yes, any entity within the known universe would share this class
of things.

I am trying to be nice. And I am trying to make it your idea rather
than beating it into you. It is not hard to grasp once you get past a
couple of pretty tough concepts... the point of the above exercise.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA