you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 27 points 7 months ago (5 children)

IIRC, they picked 60 because it could be evenly divided into 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, and 1/6 which allowed them to stick to whole numbers more easily.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 14 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    If you use your thumb to count the sections of 4 fingers you get 12.

    Then you hold up a finger on your other hand. When all 5 are up you have 60.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 9 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    I have never accepted this explanation. Yes, using base 12 is logical and well documented. But that means you've got 12 on the other hand as well. 144 would've made more sense.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    Yeah, what that user is describing is a mixed base system, which is pretty uncommon-- but then again, not for the people who invented time, since we have either 24|60|60 or 2|12|60|60 divisions for that. 5|12 would not be that weird.

  • source
  • parent