This math scares me

[Aahz Maruch]

In article <HR4s6.877$lz1.73512 at ruti.visi.com>,
Grant Edwards <grante at visi.com> wrote:
>In article <mailman.984664520.26463.python-list at python.org>, Fabio Olive Leite wrote:
>>
>>The usual 1/3 example is a problem for base 10, but not so for
>>base 12, for example, since 12 contains 3 2 2. Thus:
>>
>>1_{12} / 3_{12} == 0.4_{12}
>>
>>And then base 30 would let us count exactly fractions of base
>>2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 16 and all the others you can think of
>>that have only 2, 3 and 5 as factors of the base. But since no
>>one (usualy) has 30 fingers, that base is not terribly popular.
>>:)
>
>One step further is base-60, which is still used for many
>things.  Time and angular measurement for example is partially
>a base-60 system.  I believe that one or more of the ancient
>Aztecs/Incans/Mayans used a base-60 number system.

Paging Ivan Van Laningham.....
-- 
                      --- Aahz  <*>  (Copyright 2001 by aahz at pobox.com)

Androgynous poly kinky vanilla queer het Pythonista   http://www.rahul.net/aahz/
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6

"The overexamined life sure is boring."  --Loyal Mini Onion