This thread is inspired by another: view original post
[quote][url=http://www.bungie.net/en-us/Forum/Post?id=59883302]See here for why this thread has to do with Destiny[/url][/quote]
In a time before currency, people traded goods as a basis for an economy. This isn't the most efficient means for exchange since you could only divide your goods by whole numbers generally. Half an egg is a hard thing to measure for example.
Our decimal numeral system isn't efficient at dividing groups of whole numbers. When presented with 10 items, we can only divide it by 2 and 5 for example. That doesn't give you many options, but if you base your number system on 12, 16, or even [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal#Origin]60 unique representations[/url], you have many more options to divide a group by whole numbers. Now, when I have 12 eggs, I can divide them by 2, 3, 4, and 6. This is a much more efficient means to exchange goods.
Let's look at it differently, fractions.
Base 10
1/2 = 5
1/3 = 10/3 = 3.33...
1/4 = 10/4 = 2.5
1/5 = 2
Base 12
1/2 = 6
1/3 = 4
1/4 = 3
1/5 = 12/5 = 2.4
1/6 = 2
Sumerian culture (~3500 BC) was based on a base 60 numeral system and their astronomers used it to describe their night sky and timekeeping which made the mathematics easier. They would break the circle which would describe the ecliptic into 360 parts or degrees. 1 degree can be divide by 60 to give arc-minutes. Each arc-minute is divide by 60 to give arc-seconds. This should be familiar if you read maps as latitude and longitude are given in degree/minute/second formats before they were converted to a digital format.
On the equinox, when the day and night is equal, you can divide the day and night into 180 degree segments. Each 180 degree segment is divided into 12 hours, which each hour is 15 degrees of sky. Some say this is because each of the constellations of the zodiac fill an hour of the sky as they rise above the horizon. I don't know if this is true, but 24 hours, 60 minutes, 60 seconds, they all work within the base 60 numeral system we've inherited.
Just something to keep in mind since we're seeing many radials, circles, and combinations of geometric forms.
If you're interested in this, and would like to know other stories behind Mathematics, read this book, [url=http://www.amazon.com/A-History-Mathematics-Second-Edition/dp/0471543977]A History of Mathematics[/url]. It's a great way to spend a couple of bucks.
http://james.lab6.com/2003/09/16/24hours/
http://gizmodo.com/5926491/why-there-are-24-hours-in-a-day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_(angle)#History
-
Tau v Pi
-
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6xJfP7-HCc]Here's a bit of history of the base 12 number system, courtesy of Numberphile[/url]. It's where we get our 24 hour clock.
-
Think of it like this. You are going to collide against an alien race, the Fallen, that have four arms as an example. What influence will that have on their number system? Their perception of the universe. What tricks to they have up their sleeve? One of my favorites is multiplying by 9's with my fingers. If you really want to hurt your head, try using [url=http://turner.faculty.swau.edu/mathematics/materialslibrary/roman/]arithmetic against roman numerals.[/url]
-
So are we saying that trade in destiny will be based on goods over some form of monetary system? And the base units should be 60 so items can be split equally between group members as this is going to be a squad based game?
-
You know what's better than radians? Mills.
-
I'm confused. What is the point of this thread?
-
Edited by TTL Goose: 2/26/2013 2:55:59 PMbtw, you can easily count to sixty with your hands, rather than to just 10. To make this analogy precise, note that the normal hand has 4 fingers (excluding the thumb), each with 3 segments, along with 5 digits on the other hand to be used as segment pointers. This gives 3 x 4 x 5 = 60 unique configurations.
-
Why does our numerical system revolve around base 10 anyway?
-
OP: Can you please take a look at the symbols on the houses in the first level of Halo: Reach? Your post reminds me of those.
-
Having traditional Japanese music playing whilst reading this has made me feel so very calm and enlightened. Great post OP! ^^
-
I dont understand what the point of this thread was...
-
Always wondered why we had that. Thanks op
-
Sweet, Sumerians.
-
Excellent post.
-
RUN YOU FOOLS RUN, THE GUARDIAN IS A C'TAN! Do you want to join the ranks of the Necrotyr or do you wish to remain in control of your mind? Flee while you can, it is the Outsider! Also, seeing that Bungie loves 7, the holy number, it is odd for them to switch to a base of 3/6, typically associated in religion with evil. So, is the Guardian secretly evil?
-
Very cool observation, but I don't have any thoughts that could be of use.
-
Studied something similar to this in Astronomy. Briefly only though.
-
THE PLANETS WILL ALIGN, AND THE TITANS WILL BREAK FREE TO CLAIM MOUNT OLYMPUS MONS.
-
Wow cool observations. Thanks for taking an interest in the topic of my post (I thought my thread was all but dead!). I was thinking of the radial in modern terms, but looking to the origins of our systems makes sense, especially since Destiny keeps referencing ancient methods of describing the universe (geomantics, Ptolemy, etc).
-
...how does this have anything do do with destiny?
-
Interesting read. Kudos.
-
Fascinating.
-
So Destiny will be about clocks. It all makes sense now!
-
I love Math, and I love Bungie, so I love this. good work!