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Posted

What's the roman numeral for zero??

 

I think this is the nub of the issue - not so much the fact of Roman numeral for zero but the use of zero per se. We had time telling devices and (to an extent clocks) in Europe for centuries before we really used zero in any meaningful sense

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

If that's the case, then let me ask:

Why 1 minute=60 seconds and not 100 seconds ?

Minutes and seconds are increments of degrees latitude or longitude for measurements in navigation.

 

1 degree = 1 hour

1 minute = 1 nautical mile

Edited by rangerx
Posted

If that's the case, then let me ask:

Why 1 minute=60 seconds and not 100 seconds ?

Because 60 has more factors than 100 so calculating fractions of an hour is easier.

Posted (edited)

If that's the case, then let me ask:

Why 1 minute=60 seconds and not 100 seconds ?

 

You should blame the Babylonians, who had a sexagesimal numbering system. They divided the full circle into 360 degrees, presumably so that the sun moves about 1 degree every day throughout the year. Then the degree is divided into 60 minutes (of arc) and then 60 seconds (of arc). This idea is then copied with the face of the clock.

Edited by DrKrettin

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