Get better at math and theres no problem.
Comment on Or we could do metric time
bobbytables@feddit.de 2 months ago
I hate the idea of metric time (for a lot of use cases metric is still awesome).
12 and 60 can be easily divided by 2, 3, 4, 6. 60 also by 5 and 10. Even for 8 it’s still kind of easy.
For 10 or 100 division is easy for 2, 5 and 10 and okay-ish for 4.
The 12/60 (and 360 degrees of a circle) are such an elegant system!
xkforce@lemmy.world 2 months ago
SanndyTheManndy@lemmy.world 2 months ago
makes sense in a world without much fractions or the decimal system. You want to get the most divisors for your buck.
bobbytables@feddit.de 2 months ago
IMHO especially in a setting like time where fractions are very common (like “half an hour”), being able to represent fractions with whole numbers is very convenient.
pseudo@jlai.lu 2 months ago
Thank you ! Last time I tried to explain this on Lemmy, I wrote my longest comment ever. I’m gonna use you much better explanation next time.
MBM@lemmings.world 2 months ago
We should “just” switch to base-6 (or maybe 12) first
bobbytables@feddit.de 2 months ago
AFAIK the system goes back to the old Babylonians who had a base-60 system subdivided into 5 times 12. 5 times 12 could easily be counted using your thumb to count the 12 knuckles on the other fingers and the 5 fingers of the other hand.
I mean, how amazing is counting like that! I only learned to count to 10 with my fingers. I love the base-10 for its simplicity but base-60, subbase-12 is the shit :D
Emma_Gold_Man@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
Even easier and more comfortable - count the pads instead of the knuckles. You can count to 12 with one hand, or 144 with two
bobbytables@feddit.de 2 months ago
You are right! English is not my first language and I thought I was talking about the pads. My bad! Yours is the best way!
HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 2 months ago
If only we had 6 digits per hand as standard, basic maths would be so much easier for everyone
MalReynolds@slrpnk.net 2 months ago
We do, base 12 comes from 5 fingers and a fist. It was used by traders for the longest time.