Why (western) humans use the decimal system?
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We count in base 10, but some names remain from the past. :-D The dozen is still in little usage: 2 dozen eggs
Patrice “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Albert Einstein
The dozen, I suspect, is also based on fingers. It's a system that emanates from East Anglia.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
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It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question
There is a known bug with link paste currently being reported on the Buggs%Suggs forum.
«... 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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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
11 is far from logical. Afterall, using an 11-based system would exclude roughly half of the population from counting.
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The dozen, I suspect, is also based on fingers. It's a system that emanates from East Anglia.
98.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
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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
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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
It's hard to see the past with future knowledge. There were 2 concepts. COUNTING, which everyone had to learn how to do. And NOBODY bothered COUNTING ZERO of something. Does a cow farmer record ZERO Sheep, ZERO Goats, etc... Nope, he counts cows... And if the count is ZERO... I am certain he is in PANIC mode. LOL The other concept was MATH. And that is where ZERO is a strict requirement. And we learn numbers first, then math to this day, but we learn more math sooner. Also, I have a daughter, I remember teaching her to count. I can't remember teaching her to start at ZERO. == Here is something interesting about the NAMES for our numbers. Which are NOT good names in English. Because we USED to use BASE 12. The repetition parallel naming starts at 21 (21, 31, 41). But not 11 (which should be tenny-one, or ten-1 or One-teen [best]... Indicating 10 Plus one) But because we used to be base 12 (12 inches in a foot, 12 in dozen, etc)... the TEENS start at 13. Also, implied... Many people were counting much passed this. And mathematically speaking... Base 12 was superior. It divides by 2,3 and 4. Something 10 cannot do without decimals. And don't get me started with decimals. try that in ROMAN Numerals. In fact, division of Roman Numerals (without converting to decimal in your head), takes YEARS to master. So, now we realize we have COUNTING, MATH, and REPRESENTATION... The last one becomes important. How many times have you seen someone open and close their hands to tell you a bigger number like 20, or 30... Do that using Hexadecimal Representation. LOL...
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It's hard to see the past with future knowledge. There were 2 concepts. COUNTING, which everyone had to learn how to do. And NOBODY bothered COUNTING ZERO of something. Does a cow farmer record ZERO Sheep, ZERO Goats, etc... Nope, he counts cows... And if the count is ZERO... I am certain he is in PANIC mode. LOL The other concept was MATH. And that is where ZERO is a strict requirement. And we learn numbers first, then math to this day, but we learn more math sooner. Also, I have a daughter, I remember teaching her to count. I can't remember teaching her to start at ZERO. == Here is something interesting about the NAMES for our numbers. Which are NOT good names in English. Because we USED to use BASE 12. The repetition parallel naming starts at 21 (21, 31, 41). But not 11 (which should be tenny-one, or ten-1 or One-teen [best]... Indicating 10 Plus one) But because we used to be base 12 (12 inches in a foot, 12 in dozen, etc)... the TEENS start at 13. Also, implied... Many people were counting much passed this. And mathematically speaking... Base 12 was superior. It divides by 2,3 and 4. Something 10 cannot do without decimals. And don't get me started with decimals. try that in ROMAN Numerals. In fact, division of Roman Numerals (without converting to decimal in your head), takes YEARS to master. So, now we realize we have COUNTING, MATH, and REPRESENTATION... The last one becomes important. How many times have you seen someone open and close their hands to tell you a bigger number like 20, or 30... Do that using Hexadecimal Representation. LOL...
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[Because every base is base 10](https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-c9468c7f3d7bcef7b0f2d0fdf83328d4)
Please explain.
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Please explain.
How would you represent number 16dec in hexadecimal system? 8dec in octal? 2dec in binary? Base of any numerical system is represented as 10 in it's own base.
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How would you represent number 16dec in hexadecimal system? 8dec in octal? 2dec in binary? Base of any numerical system is represented as 10 in it's own base.
You just ran over a math's train over my head. It truly is mathematically indistinguishable :p