Math isn't a human invention; it's a fundamental aspect of the universe, a set of underlying rules that describe everything from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies. While our human math is based on a decimal system (base-10), likely due to us having ten fingers, the core principles of mathematics would be the same for any intelligent species. They'd just have a different way of expressing it, possibly with a different counting base.
The Origin of Human Mathematics
The decimal system, the one we use, is rooted in our biology. Most humans have five fingers on each hand, for a total of ten. This makes counting on our fingers a natural, intuitive first step in learning to count. This simple biological fact has shaped our entire numerical system, from our number symbols to how we measure and calculate.
Math: A Universal Language
While our specific way of doing math is human-centric, the underlying logic is universal. For example, the principles of addition and multiplication are the same everywhere. A different intelligent species might use a different number of digits, perhaps a base-8 system if they had four fingers on each of their two hands, but the laws of arithmetic would hold true. In this way, math is a universal language that transcends any single species' way of perceiving it.