The true value of 60

Money, metric measurements, and even boiling points. All of these are linked and based on the number 100. This raises the question, why not time? Why are there 60 seconds in a minute? Why are there 60 minutes in an hour? Most importantly, why not 100 seconds or 100 minutes? Sixty may seem like a random number, chosen with no logical forethought, however, it isn’t just some arbitrary number chosen haphazardly.

Initially, 60 may seem like a complex and difficult number to work with. This makes it seem foolish to assign it as the base for both a minute and an hour. However, once the number is dissected, it is easy to see how beneficial and convenient the number 60 truly is.

Ten is widely accepted as the base number, as used in the decimal system. This is a concept universally acknowledged, but many don’t realize this isn’t always the case. In what is known as the sexagesimal system, the base number is actually 60. The sexagesimal system utilizes the number 60’s unique composition. The number possesses a rare ability to be divided by the first six numbers, one through six, in addition to ten, 15, 20, and 30. It is also worth noting that 60 is the smallest number to be able to do so. It is theorized that this is the reason the sexagesimal system was invented. The creation of the sexagesimal system is credited to the Sumerians, who founded this system circa 2000 BCE. This system was later adopted by the Babylonians who used it as the foundation for many astrological and mathematical discoveries

Upon reflection, and with this taken into account, 60 seems like a rational choice for the base of a minute and an hour. Think on that for a minute and you’ll most likely agree.