this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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[–] folekaule@lemmy.world 98 points 1 month ago (1 children)

At least our hours are the same length regardless of latitude now, so let's be grateful for that.

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[–] WanderingThoughts@europe.pub 88 points 1 month ago (1 children)

IIRC they counted the bones in their fingers using their thumb and that gives 12. The first sundial was around the equator and there is always light for half a day, so half a day becomes 12 hours.

To count large numbers often one hand was used to count using 5 fingers and the other to count the bones, so you get 5x12 for 60 minutes.

[–] WolfLink@sh.itjust.works 54 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

AIUI there was an aspect in the divisibility of the numbers being convenient.

12 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, and 6. 60 is divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30.

10 is divisible by 2 and 5. 100 is divisible by 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, and 50.

If you want to minimize dealing with fractions, 12 and 60 are far more convenient than 10 and 100.

[–] WhatsTheHoldup@lemmy.ml 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (11 children)

That's an interesting thought, but I believe it to simply be a coincidence.

The base 12 counting being based on counting the division of your fingers is historically verified, but if the division aspect was so compelling to them you'd expect it to carry forward into their writing system.

By the time you get cuneiform math though, they actually go back to base 10.

https://images.app.goo.gl/9GR6VEiT7GHYF3KaA

As you can see base 12 is not in the written system, or for written mathematics. It just was convenient for counting on their hands.

They used mixes of base 10/base 12 and base 60.

Base 10 would be used go determine the symbols for a specific "digit" in base 60.

So similar to how our 13 is 1 ten and 3 ones, their 13 was the symbol for 10 then 3 symbols for 1. 13 = 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹 But 73 would be written 𒁹 𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹

Which would be interpreted as 1 sixty and 13 ones, or 60 + 13

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[–] Corn@lemmy.ml 64 points 1 month ago (8 children)
[–] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 49 points 1 month ago (5 children)
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[–] capuccino@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (7 children)

Why the 'IIII' insted of 'IV'?

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Prevents confusion between the four and the six: III, IV, V, VI, when the watch is not held perfectly vertically for viewing.

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 1 month ago

Actually very common in watches with roman numbers iirc

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[–] echodot@feddit.uk 61 points 1 month ago (7 children)

If the day started at 1:00 then by the second hour you would be at 2:00, even though only 1 hour has passed. Effectively the day starts at 0. In fact in 24-hour time that is how it's depicted, 00:00 with midday being depicted as 12:00, so it isn't confusing

[–] Ricaz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Careful, there are Americans around

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[–] lobut@lemmy.ca 57 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I only recently learned the etymology of the word: "second"

Its name comes from being the "second" division of the hour, with the minute being the first.

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I'll see you in 5 firsts, 2 seconds and 7 thirds.

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[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 32 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (9 children)

Days start at 0h, not 12h

It can't start at 12 hours if there are 24 segments.

And keep your letters out of it too.

[–] tauren@lemm.ee 24 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Days start at 0h, not 12h

Show me where is the zero here?

[–] mumblerfish@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago (7 children)

The AM/PM bullshit:

AM: 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Then the same for PM. Who counts like that? Whats after 12? 1! What?

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[–] WhatsTheHoldup@lemmy.ml 31 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Don't listen to OP's bullshit.

They work for big clock. They're trying to convince you 12 hour clock is useless so they can sell you double the clock.

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[–] ssfckdt@lemmy.blahaj.zone 27 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Somebody never had a clock with roman numerals and it shows

I remember getting into an argument with a grade school teacher over IIII because most such clocks put that for 4 instead of IV because of some fuckin reason

[–] Opisek@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I despise these so so much. IIII was historically NEVER correct. Some doofus decided to put that on a clock because it looks more symmetrical with the VIII on the other side. Terrible reasoning.

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[–] naticus@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Weird, I've seen many analog clocks with Roman numerals but always IV for 4.

[–] topherclay@lemmy.world 20 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's actually called the "clockmakers four" or "watchmakers four." it's a thing.

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[–] Lucien@mander.xyz 27 points 1 month ago (5 children)

We have Babylon to thank for this

[–] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 32 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Well, then I can't complain, lovely sci-fi production.

[–] KingJalopy@lemm.ee 13 points 1 month ago (9 children)

Yeah but no matter how hard I look I can't find the first 4

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[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Our mistake was not embracing base-12 time, it was failing to embrace a base-12 counting system.

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[–] MilitantAtheist@lemmy.world 27 points 1 month ago (20 children)

Clocks should use 24h format. AM/PM is completely useless.

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[–] ch00f@lemmy.world 25 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Sundials.

Now if you want to get really pissed, the magnetic North Pole is actually the South Pole of the Earth’s magnetic field. We call it the North Pole because the north side of a magnet points to it.

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[–] LanguageIsCool@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago

The 6 means 30, both of which also mean 1/2

[–] StThicket@reddthat.com 18 points 1 month ago (6 children)

When I become dictator of the world, this will be the new time unit: https://metric-time.com/

The year will also have 13 months: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fixed_Calendar

The year will be 12025: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene_calendar

Because these things just make more sense. You will thank me after a few generations, because habits are hard to change.

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[–] teslasaur@lemmy.world 18 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

It's the same logic that was used by ancient astronomers to arrive at 360 degrees for a full revolution.

The math is easier if you have to do it by hand.

[–] nialv7@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (7 children)
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[–] Shawdow194@fedia.io 16 points 1 month ago (18 children)

Also why clockwise?

Earth rotates and orbits counter clockwise. It just seems more right

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 84 points 1 month ago (1 children)

To be fair whichever direction they made it go would be clockwise

[–] Devadander@lemmy.world 21 points 1 month ago

True, but also it’s because of sundials

[–] mittyta@lemmy.world 75 points 1 month ago

Because Sundials rotate clockwise ( in north hemisphere )

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Earth rotates and orbits counter clockwise.

No it doesn't. It depends on the human perception of "up" and "down" which are completely arbitrary. We by convention see the North Pole as the "top" of the world but it could as easily be seen as Antarctica.

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[–] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 month ago

If you want to be mad about time then I'd like to introduce you to a little thing I like to call the Gregorian calendar.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 10 points 1 month ago

I'll be there at H:00.

[–] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Hour hand -> hour = n
Minute hand -> minute = n * 5
It makes sense, there's just an algorithm attached to each pointer.

Hour -> 3 = 3
Minute -> 3 = 3 * 5 = 15

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