this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2023
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12 is arguably a better arithmetic base than 10 since it divides nicely by 2, 3, 4 and 6 instead of just 2 and 5.
Yes, I do agree with that. It just takes time getting used to it.
I wish some countries would go this way and use 12-based as a default, while others would use 8-based because it's closer to computers, and others will continue using 10-based.
And then no-one will denote the system used because it's the default, how's that you don't understand. Oh what a beautiful world we'd be living in 🥰
The point is that there are benefits to several different arithmetic bases for different purposes and forming some kind of dogma around any of them is weird.
Well, there isn't a perfect one... better just agree on using one, whichever that might be.
Agree, so we will all just use hexadecimal since it is a convenient way to represent both fixed point and floating point arithmetic.
Sure, I'm down with that if everyone else is.
Username does (not) check out.
Ah, ASCII runs deep in this one I see 🫡.
There is no dogma, when doing maths you're free to use anything even as esoteric as Fibonacci base. The problem is when this becomes widespread but not everywhere.
If you're for using it "for different purposes" I can't even understand the point of your original comment, why preach?
I am definitely not the one being preachy about a particular base. I am the one advocating flexibility over dogma.
All I did was point out that 12 is easier to divide cleanly than ten, and this very simple fact has pissed many people off for some reason.
If only we had a way to have numbers smaller than 1.
Right, having more whole, proper fractions to work with can also be simpler (and more precise) than truncating decimals and dealing with the implications of significant figures. I just don't understand why people are so hostile to this as a basic idea. Base 12 has benefits, just like base ten does.