3 ms·
The 1963 standard (linked from the article, and below[1]) does a reasonable job of describing the design rationale in the appendices. “B4.2 Base 12 Numeric Dig
by kps 13y ago
The 1963 standard (linked from the article, and below[1]) does a reasonable job of describing the design rationale in the appendices.
“B4.2 Base 12 Numeric Digits. For those applications requiring use of the sterling monetary system or duodecimal arithmetic, the digits 10 and 11 can replace the two graphics immediately following the digit 9.”
[1] http://www.wps.com/projects/codes/X3.4-1963/index.html http://www.wps.com/projects/codes/X3.4-1963/index.html
- DanBC 13y agoFor anyone confused about pre-decimal English currency (http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/units/money.htm http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/units/money.htm) 4 farthings = 1 penny 48 farthings = 1 shilling 960 farthings = £1 There were farthings, half-pennies, pennies, threepences, sixpences, shillings, florins, and half-crowns. I guess we're lucky in only having to fiddle around with dates in awkward formats.
- sjwright 13y ago> I guess we're lucky in only having to fiddle around with dates in awkward formats. And that thing that isn't the metric system.
- vacri 13y agoTo be fair, traditionally there weren't a lot of events where you needed to figure out the number of farthings in a pound. I also read somewhere that loans were generally set at 5% (one shilling interest per pound loaned) because working out any other number was a pain in the neck. No idea of the date or veracity of that little nugget though. I always thought the guinea was particularly funny, given that it doesn't really add much in the way of demarcation.