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  3. Why (western) humans use the decimal system?

Why (western) humans use the decimal system?

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  • L Lost User

    :-O Ok let us use the toes :-O :-O :-O

    It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

    J Offline
    J Offline
    Jorgen Andersson
    wrote on last edited by
    #23

    The danes and the french does.

    Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

    P 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

      public class Finger
      {
      ...
      }
      public class Thumb : Finger
      {
      ...
      }

      Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

      D Offline
      D Offline
      David ONeil
      wrote on last edited by
      #24

      [Is a thumb a finger? | Oxford Dictionaries](https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/is-a-thumb-a-finger/). 'Appendage' or 'digit' would be a better base class. :-\ :laugh:

      The forgotten roots of science | C++ Programming | DWinLib

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      • D Daniel Pfeffer

        Fingers eight Yoda has.

        Ad astra - both ways!

        J Offline
        J Offline
        Jorgen Andersson
        wrote on last edited by
        #25

        Interesting it makes when guitar he plays

        Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

        1 Reply Last reply
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        • L Lost User

          Is it really because we have ten fingers? Would it then not be more logical to use then a system based on 11?:confused: :laugh: Btw: I'm Aware, it took a longer time to recognize that "Zero" also exists. From what I remember it was somebody from India who recognized this fact first. [Edit] Try to imagine we would have only one finger...

          It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #26

          0x01AA wrote:

          Btw: I'm Aware, it took a longer time to recognize that "Zero" also exists.

          I've recently been watching some YouTube videos late at night about the Sumerian Sexagesimal (base 60)[^] system. It's extremely interesting. The Sumerians absolutely knew about zero.. but they did not have a symbol for it. In all of the clay tablets with calculations requiring a zero... there is a blank space where the number zero should be. That makes perfect sense to me... with zero being NULL. Best Wishes, -David Delaune

          B 1 Reply Last reply
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          • L Lost User

            Is it really because we have ten fingers? Would it then not be more logical to use then a system based on 11?:confused: :laugh: Btw: I'm Aware, it took a longer time to recognize that "Zero" also exists. From what I remember it was somebody from India who recognized this fact first. [Edit] Try to imagine we would have only one finger...

            It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

            M Offline
            M Offline
            Mladen Jankovic
            wrote on last edited by
            #27

            [Because every base is base 10](https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-c9468c7f3d7bcef7b0f2d0fdf83328d4)

            L A 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • J Jorgen Andersson

              The danes and the french does.

              Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

              P Offline
              P Offline
              Patrice T
              wrote on last edited by
              #28

              Jörgen Andersson wrote:

              The danes and the french does.

              En est tu certain ?

              Patrice “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Albert Einstein

              J 1 Reply Last reply
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              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                0x01AA wrote:

                Would it then not be more logical to use then a system based on 11?

                But then you couldn't teach kids about numbers bigger than ten without being arrested... :laugh: Probably, "because it works" - the Babylonians used sexagesimal, which is somewhat unwieldy; the Egyptians were decimal; some native American tribes used pental; Aristotle favoured ten as we have ten fingers; the Gauls and the Mayans were vigesimal (and this can still be seen in how the French count between 60 and 100) Probably, we have the Roman empire to blame: they brought their culture - and decimal-based numbering system - to most of Europe, and it stuck.

                Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                Sander RosselS Offline
                Sander RosselS Offline
                Sander Rossel
                wrote on last edited by
                #29

                OriginalGriff wrote:

                we have the Roman empire to blame

                As someone with a somewhat Italian sounding last name I am offended by your appropriation of the Roman culture! You might say I am actually Dutch, or that the Romans forced their culture upon Europe, but I will not hear it! Also, the world is flat, unlike Mars which we have observed to be round. I am also vegetarian and therefore I am ethically superior to you and everything you say will be twisted and turned and taken out of context so all your arguments are invalid. Last, but not least, I sexually identify as an Apache attack helicopter.

                Best, Sander Continuous Integration, Delivery, and Deployment arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

                OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                  OriginalGriff wrote:

                  we have the Roman empire to blame

                  As someone with a somewhat Italian sounding last name I am offended by your appropriation of the Roman culture! You might say I am actually Dutch, or that the Romans forced their culture upon Europe, but I will not hear it! Also, the world is flat, unlike Mars which we have observed to be round. I am also vegetarian and therefore I am ethically superior to you and everything you say will be twisted and turned and taken out of context so all your arguments are invalid. Last, but not least, I sexually identify as an Apache attack helicopter.

                  Best, Sander Continuous Integration, Delivery, and Deployment arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriff
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #30

                  Interesting. I identify as the aroma of roses on a summer's evening.

                  Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                  "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                  "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                  Sander RosselS 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                    Interesting. I identify as the aroma of roses on a summer's evening.

                    Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                    Sander RosselS Offline
                    Sander RosselS Offline
                    Sander Rossel
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #31

                    So you're saying we should kill all plants? You monster... Don't say I didn't warn you :)

                    Best, Sander Continuous Integration, Delivery, and Deployment arrgh.js - Bringing LINQ to JavaScript Object-Oriented Programming in C# Succinctly

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • L Lost User

                      0x01AA wrote:

                      Btw: I'm Aware, it took a longer time to recognize that "Zero" also exists.

                      I've recently been watching some YouTube videos late at night about the Sumerian Sexagesimal (base 60)[^] system. It's extremely interesting. The Sumerians absolutely knew about zero.. but they did not have a symbol for it. In all of the clay tablets with calculations requiring a zero... there is a blank space where the number zero should be. That makes perfect sense to me... with zero being NULL. Best Wishes, -David Delaune

                      B Offline
                      B Offline
                      BillWoodruff
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #32

                      There is some very interesting speculation about west-to-east (from Egypt) cultural transmission of iconography and the mathematical basis for weights and measures in this book on the weights of Burma (now Myanmar): Note: CP editor is not displaying pasted in links as expected ... https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Heaven-Animal-Shaped-Weights-Burmese/dp/9747551209 It's an out-of print book for a specialist, and ridiculously expensive, now. And, frustrating to read because some very grandiose theories are proposed, but sources are not annotated satisfactorily.

                      «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

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                      • C CPallini

                        Quote:

                        I know about another bool System

                        Boob system, we call it.

                        B Offline
                        B Offline
                        BillWoodruff
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #33

                        but, that's binary, most often !

                        «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

                        C 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • B BillWoodruff

                          but, that's binary, most often !

                          «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          CPallini
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #34

                          Don't know about you, but they are not equivalent systems to me. :-D

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • L Lost User

                            Is it really because we have ten fingers? Would it then not be more logical to use then a system based on 11?:confused: :laugh: Btw: I'm Aware, it took a longer time to recognize that "Zero" also exists. From what I remember it was somebody from India who recognized this fact first. [Edit] Try to imagine we would have only one finger...

                            It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

                            K Offline
                            K Offline
                            kmoorevs
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #35

                            I have nothing to add, just wanted to say that this is a great example of why I like this place. i. Interesting questions ii. Lot's of really smart people here with intelligent or humorous (both entertaining) answers ..even on a weekend! :)

                            "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

                            L M 2 Replies Last reply
                            0
                            • K kmoorevs

                              I have nothing to add, just wanted to say that this is a great example of why I like this place. i. Interesting questions ii. Lot's of really smart people here with intelligent or humorous (both entertaining) answers ..even on a weekend! :)

                              "Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse

                              L Offline
                              L Offline
                              Lost User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #36

                              So have a nice Weekend :)

                              It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • M Mladen Jankovic

                                [Because every base is base 10](https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-c9468c7f3d7bcef7b0f2d0fdf83328d4)

                                L Offline
                                L Offline
                                Lost User
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #37

                                :thumbsup:

                                It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • B BillWoodruff

                                  There is some very interesting speculation about west-to-east (from Egypt) cultural transmission of iconography and the mathematical basis for weights and measures in this book on the weights of Burma (now Myanmar): Note: CP editor is not displaying pasted in links as expected ... https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Heaven-Animal-Shaped-Weights-Burmese/dp/9747551209 It's an out-of print book for a specialist, and ridiculously expensive, now. And, frustrating to read because some very grandiose theories are proposed, but sources are not annotated satisfactorily.

                                  «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

                                  L Offline
                                  L Offline
                                  Lost User
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #38

                                  Earth to Heaven: The Royal Animal-Shaped Weights of the Burmese Empire: Joan Gear, Donald Gear: 9789747551204: Amazon.com: Books[^] To Format a link I'm usually go to Q/A, paste the link into an answer, copy the formated preview and cancel answering. This works reliable most (all the) times.

                                  It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

                                  B 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • B BillWoodruff

                                    There is some very interesting speculation about west-to-east (from Egypt) cultural transmission of iconography and the mathematical basis for weights and measures in this book on the weights of Burma (now Myanmar): Note: CP editor is not displaying pasted in links as expected ... https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Heaven-Animal-Shaped-Weights-Burmese/dp/9747551209 It's an out-of print book for a specialist, and ridiculously expensive, now. And, frustrating to read because some very grandiose theories are proposed, but sources are not annotated satisfactorily.

                                    «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #39

                                    Hi, Found a peer-review of the book[^]. It looks interesting. Best Wishes, -David Delaune

                                    B 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • B BillWoodruff

                                      0x01AA wrote:

                                      explain what you are discussing

                                      Re-read the title of your post, then re-read the links in my post. If you're still confused, don't feel you need to tell me :)

                                      «... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12

                                      L Offline
                                      L Offline
                                      Lost User
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #40

                                      I am often surprised by my contributions :laugh:

                                      It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

                                      B 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • P Patrice T

                                        Jörgen Andersson wrote:

                                        The danes and the french does.

                                        En est tu certain ?

                                        Patrice “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Albert Einstein

                                        J Offline
                                        J Offline
                                        Jorgen Andersson
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #41

                                        70 = soixante-dix 80 = quatre-vingts 90 = quatre-vingt-dix And danish: 50 = halvtreds 60 = tres 70 = halvfjerds 80 = firs 90 = halvfems In Paris you have (Or had) l’Hôpital des Quinze-Vingts, which used to have 300 beds. Mostly remnants today, the Swizz (and if I recall correctly the Belgians) have gone full decimal. Switzerland uses septante for 70, octante or huitante for 80 and nonante for 90 In english there are small rests of it too: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." (The Gettysberg Address, 1863)

                                        Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                                        P P 2 Replies Last reply
                                        0
                                        • J Jorgen Andersson

                                          70 = soixante-dix 80 = quatre-vingts 90 = quatre-vingt-dix And danish: 50 = halvtreds 60 = tres 70 = halvfjerds 80 = firs 90 = halvfems In Paris you have (Or had) l’Hôpital des Quinze-Vingts, which used to have 300 beds. Mostly remnants today, the Swizz (and if I recall correctly the Belgians) have gone full decimal. Switzerland uses septante for 70, octante or huitante for 80 and nonante for 90 In english there are small rests of it too: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." (The Gettysberg Address, 1863)

                                          Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                                          P Offline
                                          P Offline
                                          pth14
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #42

                                          It is almost correct. Belgians still use 80 (quatre-vingts). But you are perfectly right about 70 and 90.

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