Are there any countries in the world that do not use Base 10 (computers, systems)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Many systems have their quirks. (spoken) English isn't entirely base 10, right? We have those weird numbers eleven and twelve that don't really make sense. Spoken Spanish similarly has non-base-10 words from 11 to 15. Spoken French is even worse with non-base 10 numbers from 11-16 and then base-20 numbers from 70 to 100. Of course all of these languages use a base-10 system for writing numbers.
Roman numerals are still pretty common in some western cultures, and they aren't base-10. Celtic languages were traditionally base-20, but these days I think they mostly use base-10.
Many systems have their quirks. (spoken) English isn't entirely base 10, right? We have those weird numbers eleven and twelve that don't really make sense. Spoken Spanish similarly has non-base-10 words from 11 to 15. Spoken French is even worse with non-base 10 numbers from 11-16 and then base-20 numbers from 70 to 100. Of course all of these languages use a base-10 system for writing numbers.
Roman numerals are still pretty common in some western cultures, and they aren't base-10. Celtic languages were traditionally base-20, but these days I think they mostly use base-10.
I'd like to see a calculator for a country that uses roman numerals.
Are there any countries or peoples of the world that do not use a base 10 counting system?
Counting what? Eggs? Building products?
We do use the "ton" (2000lbs.) which is actually a short ton and primarily used in the US and Canada. The long ton (2,240lbs.) pounds is used elsewhere unles they are using the metric tonne. Now if you really want to get confused, read on...
Quote:
Short ton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Both the long and short ton are defined as 20 hundredweights, but a hundredweight is 100 pounds (45.359237 kg) in the U.S. system (short or net hundredweight) and 112 pounds (50.80234544 kg) in the imperial system (long or gross hundredweight)
Babylonians and Mayans used base 60 and variations. Computers use binary and variations. We've been through this before, base 10 has drawbacks because humanity tends to use fractional amounts. If you have ten items, 1/2 of that is five (an integer) and half of that is 2.5 (non-integer). If you want to divide it three ways, you have 3.3333... In contrast, with base 12, halves, quarters, thirds are all integers. With base 60 or 360, lots of things divide out neatly.
...with base 12, halves, quarters, thirds are all integers...
Shilling, sixpence, threepence.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
