Can’t do base 12 on fingers. I prefer base 8.
Comment on Every base is base 10
frezik@midwest.social 5 weeks agoCommon denominators. You can divide base 12 into half, thirds, fourths, and sixths and still use integers. I find thirds to be particularly useful, so base 16 is out. Base 60 can do it, but that’s getting unweildly.
DaneGerous@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
reiseno_@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
You can do base 12 on fingers! You count each of the 3 segments on each finger and ignore the thumb (you can use it to keep your place), so you can count up to 12 on just one hand! :)
frezik@midwest.social 5 weeks ago
This is why I’m not totally sold on the idea that we use base 10 because we have 10 fingers. There are a lot of ways to count with your fingers. Plus, there are many cultures throughout human history that use something else. Base 10 in modern times might just be a historical quirk.
teft@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Some societies used base 27 from counting body parts. Sumeria famously used base 60. It’s why minutes and hours are divided by 60
problematicPanther@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
iirc, the reason that time is base 60 is because some ancient peoples figured out how to count to 60 on their fingers.
Neato@ttrpg.network 5 weeks ago
8 fingered Johnny…
wewbull@feddit.uk 5 weeks ago
Base 6. One hand and a arm. Let’s me get all the way to 41.
Aceticon@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Just add left arm, right arm to it or, if you’re a guy nose and dick.
Certainly, especially the male version, it would make the visual act of counting far more funny to watch.
I think I’m starting to warm up to the whole base 12 idea…
Aceticon@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
There are no common denominators in base 12 that you can’t use in base 84, and the latter also has 7 as a common denominator.
I, for one, vote for changing our base to 84.