21–22 of 22 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> We have a base 10 number system You hit the nail on the head. Bases 12 amd 60 are much handier as they have more factors.
I agree, but the odds of switching the default base to either is extremely low.
Yes, the successor to the 5000-foot Roman mile should have been 5040, but 5280 isn't bad for something that arose organically out of various unit systems' needs.
It's not great. We have a base 10 number system so everything should be in powers of 10. Not too familiar with my 528 multiplication tables.
5040 is of course well-known as one of the most factorable numbers of all time:
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 24, 28, 30, 35, 36, 40, 42, 45, 48, 56, 60, 63, 70, 72, 80, 84, 90, 105, 112, 120, 126, 140, 144, 168, 180, 210, 240, 252, 280, 315, 336, 360, 420, 504, 560, 630, 720, 840, 1008, 1260, 1680, 2520.
But 5280 isn't bad. And it gets 11, though it misses 7 and 9. 5040 only misses 11 out of 1-12.
5000 is pathetic. 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 25, 40, 50, 100, 125, 200, 250, 500, 625, 1000, 1250, 2500.