How does a cat become too heavy?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by double u

"...If you were brought up as a little kid using base 12, you would think decimal is crazy...."
you have yet to convince me that any sort of calculation is easier in a duodecimal (12) system than in a decimal system...

Without converting to fractions first or making assumptions:

which an you multiply more quickly:

- 0.333333.... times 0.1666666....
or
- 0.4 time 0.2

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by double u

"...If you were brought up as a little kid using base 12, you would think decimal is crazy...."
you have yet to convince me that any sort of calculation is easier in a duodecimal (12) system than in a decimal system...

The above "base 12" idea may not have been fully & properly explained. For such a system to work we would need a different system of numbers, having 12 characters that delineate everything from 0 to 12. With each numerical character in such a system being a single digit. So 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,X,Y Thus when counting & doing calculations, things are then numbered from 1 to Y, & 1+Y = "10", 2+Y = 11, etc.

And in the above scenario we'd obviously need to dream up some other characters to replace "X", & "Y". But they'd represent numbers just as do 1-9.

Base 12 means that there are 12 characters in the numbering system, prior to actually stepping up to using a 2-digit number. Just as in binary, which is a base 2 system, as soon as the count exceeds "1", then things become 2-digit numbers. Specifically, 10

Thus a base 12 system on paper looks just like a base 10 system, only it has a couple of "extra" numbers in it. So, with this, a base 12 system is then much easier to use for a lot of calculations, given how easy it is to break down 12 into different fractals there of. And in a true base 12 system, you can use decimals just as easily as you can with a base 10 system.

And if that ain't clear enough, either google it, or go ask a math teacher. Though back when I was in grade school, the above was quite clear to us, & common knowledge, sadly. Wonder how many math teachers know of base 12, let alone have the skills to explain it?


Here you go https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duodecimal

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Baker's dozen?

When was the last time you saw a "baker's dozen" of something at the store?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by double u

...quite interesting where we did end up in this here thread...

Sorry, I thought the heavy cat was already settled and was just enjoying tweaking the metric zealots.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

The above "base 12" idea may not have been fully & properly explained. For such a system to work we would need a different system of numbers, having 12 characters that delineate everything from 0 to 12. With each numerical character in such a system being a single digit. So 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,X,Y Thus when counting & doing calculations, things are then numbered from 1 to Y, & 1+Y = "10", 2+Y = 11, etc.

And in the above scenario we'd obviously need to dream up some other characters to replace "X", & "Y". But they'd represent numbers just as do 1-9.

Base 12 means that there are 12 characters in the numbering system, prior to actually stepping up to using a 2-digit number. Just as in binary, which is a base 2 system, as soon as the count exceeds "1", then things become 2-digit numbers. Specifically, 10

Thus a base 12 system on paper looks just like a base 10 system, only it has a couple of "extra" numbers in it. So, with this, a base 12 system is then much easier to use for a lot of calculations, given how easy it is to break down 12 into different fractals there of. And in a true base 12 system, you can use decimals just as easily as you can with a base 10 system.

And if that ain't clear enough, either google it, or go ask a math teacher. Though back when I was in grade school, the above was quite clear to us, & common knowledge, sadly. Wonder how many math teachers know of base 12, let alone have the skills to explain it?


Here you go https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duodecimal

Thanks for the follow up. I guess I assumed people understood what a base 12 system was and how it works.

Of course, I have no realistic expectation that it will ever happen. The conversion process alone would likely eat up a few years worth of the world GDP.

I was involved in a state DOT converting to metric. It took about 5yrs was a huge pain, lots of costly mistakes and in the end the contractors took the plans and converted them back to english units to actually use the plans. Eventually, the state spent more money to convert everything back. This was almost 20yrs ago and there is no indication they are going to try metric again.

[Sav]

Why on this blue or green earth would you want a washing machine on a yacht?

[double u]

@duodecimal system:
aaa, I see, that's why computers use binary...
(youall a stark raving mad, but I love you!)

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Sav

Why on this blue or green earth would you want a washing machine on a yacht?

To wash stuff?

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Sav

Why on this blue or green earth would you want a washing machine on a yacht?

Sometimes I ask the same. Especially as laundry is sometimes a great excuse for being social. Since in a saiing neighborhood, the laundromat is quite often a social hub. Much as they are in general if you're single...

But when living onboard, I'm guessing washing machines convenient to have at times. Especially if you have kids, & thus commonly do a load or three daily. Particularly since when living on the hook, doing laundry goes like this:

Pick a fairly calm, non-rainy day to do laundry on... If possible.
Load dirty laundry into drybag, or trash bags, after sorting. And keep drycleaning entirely seperate.
Ensure dinghy is dry inside. Load in laundry, soap, dryer sheets, & coins. Along with the ususal dinghy/going ashore equipment.
Row 1/2nm to beach or dinghy dock, & unload. Braving the surf on the beach when doing so, as necessary.
Carry 60lbs of laundry though 100yds of soft beach sand, up to edge of road.
Drag dinghy up beach through soft sand, above high tide line, & lock up.
Board bus or taxi with laundry, laundry soap, foulies (in case of rain), life jackets, etc. & head to laundromat.
Wash, dry, fold, sort, stow in clean drybags. Drop off drycleaning while clothes are washing.
Reverse steps above when making trek back to dinghy. Including the beach drag, etc.
Once laundry's onboard in Dry dink, at surf's edge. Wait for your set, & quickly row/power past breakers... without getting laundry wet, or water in dink.
Note: Flipping dink full of clean dry laundry is generally regarded as poor form.
Heave 60lb laundry bag up onto deck of mothership, 3' overhead from dink, while hoping you miss landing it in any puddles.
Stow dinghy.
Discover leak in drybag while unpacking clean laundry.
Curse while hanging laundry from lifelines & rigging to dry.
Repeat above sequence when drycleaning is ready for pickup.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by double u

@duodecimal system:
aaa, I see, that's why computers use binary...
(youall a stark raving mad, but I love you!)

Fundamentally,yes. But practically - anyone working with computers prefers to work in Hexadecimal.

I personally like to use Hexadecimal because then I am only 45.

[Sav]

1 pint = 1lb roughly... depending how far above or below sea level you are.

[double u]

dialogue with a brit, 1981, Gibraltar:
B: an inch, a foot & a pound - they are nice to work with
I: a meter & a kilogram are nice to work with too
B: yes, but the meter is foreign!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Sav

1 pint = 1lb roughly... depending how far above or below sea level you are.

Not if it's a pint of mercury

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by double u

@duodecimal system:
aaa, I see, that's why computers use binary...
(youall a stark raving mad, but I love you!)

For the most part, humans use decimal based numbers because that is what they've been taught to use. We have the capability to work in any base.

When you strip off all the pretty pictures on your computer screen and look at what the processor is doing, it's all binary. Your computer has no ability to work with decimal or any other base numbers directly. Everything you see is done in binary and then converted back to decimal for your use.

In theory, you can build a computer with a different base but it introduces other complications that ruin the viability.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by double u

dialogue with a brit, 1981, Gibraltar:
B: an inch, a foot & a pound - they are nice to work with
I: a meter & a kilogram are nice to work with too
B: yes, but the meter is foreign!

Meter - Metre; Liter - Litre . . . lets get it right. O crap. What's the use???

A meter is a device for measuring quantities, distances ... or ?
A liter is a small vessel used to transfer goods or material from a larger ship.

Why is it Americans love to bastardize the English language with their way of spelling?