Exactly. Our base-ten number system is cursed. A base-twelve metric system would be gorgeous. Our existing clocks would already be metric.
In addition to scaling by “10” (pronounced “ten”), current Metric Rulers commonly scale by 2 when going from centimeter to 1/2 centimeter markings, or by 5 when going from cm to 2mm markings, depending on the degree of precision required. Rarely do rulers actually scale from cm to 1mm. You typically need calipers to make measurements smaller than 2mm.
With base-twelve, we’d still be able to scale by “10” (pronounced “twelve”), but we’d also be able to scale by 2, 3, 4, or 6.
Rarely do rulers actually scale from cm to 1mm. You typically need calipers to make measurements smaller than 2mm.
I’m pretty sure most rulers and measuring tapes I’ve ever seen had 1 mm markings.
We’re talking rulers of typically 10-30 cm marked length and made of plastic or metal, and longer measuring tapes made of either flimsy metal (in a casing with a lock-button) or those softer textile tapes.
The only exception I can think of, that has only 1 cm markings, is a wooden 1 m teachers’ ruler made for blackboard use. But you do you with the calipers.
Shows you how many metric rulers I’ve used… In my experience, most have four marks, at 2mm, 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm. Some have only had the 5mm mark. But searching for images, I can’t find any that look like the tapes I’m using, so my experience must not be the norm.
Exactly. Our base-ten number system is cursed. A base-twelve metric system would be gorgeous. Our existing clocks would already be metric.
In addition to scaling by “10” (pronounced “ten”), current Metric Rulers commonly scale by 2 when going from centimeter to 1/2 centimeter markings, or by 5 when going from cm to 2mm markings, depending on the degree of precision required. Rarely do rulers actually scale from cm to 1mm. You typically need calipers to make measurements smaller than 2mm.
With base-twelve, we’d still be able to scale by “10” (pronounced “twelve”), but we’d also be able to scale by 2, 3, 4, or 6.
I’m pretty sure most rulers and measuring tapes I’ve ever seen had 1 mm markings.
We’re talking rulers of typically 10-30 cm marked length and made of plastic or metal, and longer measuring tapes made of either flimsy metal (in a casing with a lock-button) or those softer textile tapes.
The only exception I can think of, that has only 1 cm markings, is a wooden 1 m teachers’ ruler made for blackboard use. But you do you with the calipers.
Shows you how many metric rulers I’ve used… In my experience, most have four marks, at 2mm, 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm. Some have only had the 5mm mark. But searching for images, I can’t find any that look like the tapes I’m using, so my experience must not be the norm.