Sexagesimal Number System

  • The Seagesimal Number System uses a base number of 60.

Alternative Number Systems

The Ancient World

  • The Sumerians (c. 2,500 BCE) were the first to use the sexagesimal number system, followed by the Babylonians.
  • The Ancient Chinese Calendar used a sixty year cycle or Sexagenary cycle, which continues to be used in Chinese Astrology.
  • The Ancient Indian Calendar used a sixty year cycle, which is still used in the Tamil Calendar.

Today

The Sexagesimal number system is still in use everywhere today for measuring Time, Geographical Coordinates and Angles:

  • Time:
    • One hour has 60 minutes.
    • One minute has 60 seconds.
  • Angles and Geographical Coordinates
    • A circle is divided into 360 degrees (six sixties).
    • Each degree has 60 minutes of Arc.
    • Each minute of Arc has 60 arcseconds.
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