• WanderingThoughts@europe.pub
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    2 months ago

    IIRC they counted the bones in their fingers using their thumb and that gives 12. The first sundial was around the equator and there is always light for half a day, so half a day becomes 12 hours.

    To count large numbers often one hand was used to count using 5 fingers and the other to count the bones, so you get 5x12 for 60 minutes.

    • WolfLink@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      AIUI there was an aspect in the divisibility of the numbers being convenient.

      12 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6. 60 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30.

      10 is divisible by 2 and 5. 100 is divisible by 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50.

      If you want to minimize dealing with fractions, 12 and 60 are far more convenient than 10 and 100.

      • WhatsTheHoldup@lemmy.ml
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        2 months ago

        That’s an interesting thought, but I believe it to simply be a coincidence.

        The base 12 counting being based on counting the division of your fingers is historically verified, but if the division aspect was so compelling to them you’d expect it to carry forward into their writing system.

        By the time you get cuneiform math though, they actually go back to base 10.

        https://images.app.goo.gl/9GR6VEiT7GHYF3KaA

        As you can see base 12 is not in the written system, or for written mathematics. It just was convenient for counting on their hands.

        They used mixes of base 10/base 12 and base 60.

        Base 10 would be used go determine the symbols for a specific “digit” in base 60.

        So similar to how our 13 is 1 ten and 3 ones, their 13 was the symbol for 10 then 3 symbols for 1. 13 = 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹 But 73 would be written 𒁹 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹

        Which would be interpreted as 1 sixty and 13 ones, or 60 + 13

  • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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    2 months ago

    If the day started at 1:00 then by the second hour you would be at 2:00, even though only 1 hour has passed. Effectively the day starts at 0. In fact in 24-hour time that is how it’s depicted, 00:00 with midday being depicted as 12:00, so it isn’t confusing

  • folekaule@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    At least our hours are the same length regardless of latitude now, so let’s be grateful for that.

  • ssfckdt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    2 months ago

    Somebody never had a clock with roman numerals and it shows

    I remember getting into an argument with a grade school teacher over IIII because most such clocks put that for 4 instead of IV because of some fuckin reason

    • Opisek@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I despise these so so much. IIII was historically NEVER correct. Some doofus decided to put that on a clock because it looks more symmetrical with the VIII on the other side. Terrible reasoning.

      • some_random_nick@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        “However, even though it is now widely accepted that 4 must be written IV, the original and most ancient pattern for Roman numerals wasn’t the same as what we know today. Earliest models did, in fact, use VIIII for 9 (instead of IX) and IIII for 4 (instead of IV). However, these two numerals proved problematic, they were easily confused with III and VIII. Instead of the original additive notation, the Roman numeral system changed to the more familiar subtractive notation. However, this was well after the fall of the Roman Empire.”

        https://monochrome-watches.com/why-do-clocks-and-watches-use-roman-numeral-iiii-instead-of-iv/

      • mhague@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        IIII was the way Romans usually wrote 4. It’s associated with simplicity / illiteracy. But also depended on era, region, intended audience, or practicality. I think the most famous example is the coliseum using LIIII.

        There’s still variation even now; standardization is relatively new, and it’s not common knowledge. And dates… it’s like every 50-100 years people decided to write them differently.

  • lobut@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    I only recently learned the etymology of the word: “second”

    Its name comes from being the “second” division of the hour, with the minute being the first.

    • neonred@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      No it’s not, with a 12h format on an analog watch you can use the sun to find true north. It is also easier to read it when the hands have double the amount of degrees to indicate the number.

      Edit – digital watches should use 24h, I fully agree, maybe there was a misunderstanding because it’s analog watches we’re talking about here and these could stay 12h IMHO

  • FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au
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    2 months ago

    Relatively funny but gets worse the more you think about it.

    The 6 stands for 6, not 30.

    When we have AM and PM it would be dumb to have 1-24.

    1 is the end of the 1st hour. 2 the end of the second. This is why it starts at 0.

  • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Days start at 0h, not 12h

    It can’t start at 12 hours if there are 24 segments.

    And keep your letters out of it too.

  • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    There’s Metric / Decimal Time.

    Next time someone makes a post praising the metric system and making fun of people for using imperial units, feel free to call them out as a filthy casual for using a 24-hour clock.