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Theskyis256k t1_iu113ad wrote

666 is full on red.

Coincidence?!?!?!

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DanAtuch t1_iu14501 wrote

Yes

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[deleted] t1_iu1csvy wrote

We have 10 fingers on our hands and the decimal system uses exactly 10 symbols to count. Imagine what we would of donr if we had 11 instead

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1337b337 t1_iu1faa1 wrote

Schoolhouse Rock made a song about an alien with 6 digits on each limb; Was all about Base 12 number system.

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kulalolk t1_iu1mlqt wrote

“Little Twelvetoes” from the classic album “Multiplication Rock”

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ScreamapillarAPI t1_iu1fpxp wrote

The base 10 number system wasn't universal for human civilization and certainly wasn't the first numeric system developed by humans. The sumerians used a base 60 counting system which they passed on to the Babylonians, which is why we we still measure our time and things like angles and coordinates in geometry by factors of 60. (Eg 60 seconds in a minute 60 minutes in an hour)

It originated by using our thumb to point to the 3 bones of our fingers, times that by 4 you get 12, times that by 5 fingers per batch of 12 and you get 60. (That last step at the end confuses me because it seems to contradict using your thumb to point to your 4 fingers but that's what the wiki seems to say)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal

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RisingPhoenix5 t1_iu2jfu6 wrote

So essentially, your dominant hand would count up to twelve using the bones on your fingers of that same hand.

On the other hand (This entire comment is worth it for that pun), your non-dominant hand would count the number of times you reached 12 while counting, or the multiple of 12 to use. So two fingers on the offhand would be equivalent to 24, while three of the offhand and 3 bones on the dominant hand would be 2(12)+3 = 27.

At least, that was my understanding from the Wikipedia page.

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ScreamapillarAPI t1_iu30g51 wrote

Doesn't that describe a base 12 system though rather than a base 60, if your off hand represents X * 12? Like in base 10, eleven is represented as 11. (1 * 10 + 1) and in base 2 11 is three (1 * 2 + 1)

Edit: I found a video by numberphile explaining base 60 and he describes it exactly like you did. I guess what I'm hung up on is why is it considered base 60 rather than base 12? https://youtu.be/R9m2jck1f90

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RisingPhoenix5 t1_iu36thr wrote

Because you consider both hands. You can get to 12 on one hand, but using both hands you can count to 60 total. Thats just a guess on my part though, I don't actually know.

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TheThiefMaster t1_iu3dt5n wrote

It's because it goes to 12 on one hand, then 5 on the other, and then if you go higher it does 12 again then 5 again. You can think of that as going to 60 on both hands, then 60 again, rather than alternating 12 and 5.

e.g. 12×5 (60) seconds, then 12×5 (60) minutes, then 12 hours

Really it's an alternating base 12/5 number system though.

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[deleted] t1_iu32vpo wrote

That's a base 12 system, I use it sometimes. It's easier to use than counting on fingers. It's a popular way of counting in a lot of places

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RisingPhoenix5 t1_iu36q32 wrote

As noted in other comments and the wiki I commented on, it is actually a base 60, not 12. 12 is just the number of digits you can count to on one hand. In the same way the base 10 system works off of both hands, just using a different base.

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DjuncleMC t1_iu1gxbq wrote

Very interesting, thank you for this knowledge!

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postdusk t1_iu2hcgb wrote

Count the single digits on the 'smart hand', second digit on the slower hand, is my guess.

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RipleyScroll t1_iu3ikcw wrote

It's not the second digit on the slower hand though, but the multiplicator for the single digits

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elrugmunchero t1_iu2to51 wrote

Look what we do using ones and zeroes, the base doesn't change the maths, the numbers are just written differently

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5up3rK4m16uru t1_iu3ivvt wrote

A prime number would really suck as a base.

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[deleted] t1_iu3pgx3 wrote

Yeah you're right

Fuck i couldn't even imagine how HORRIBLE IT WOULD BE, like, to have a base 2 system!!!!!!11!

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Lepke2011 t1_iu6qbih wrote

Actually, we have 8 fingers.

The thumb is an opposable appendage.

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El_Nieto_PR t1_iu2b643 wrote

777 is the color of blood. Blood of Christ?

Coincidence?!

Checkmate, Atheists

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AtotheCtotheG t1_iu300ua wrote

Huh. One of us has very unusually-colored blood. But which…?

Gotta go check something. 🗡

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