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    Re: Why is a sextant like it is?
    From: Derrick Young
    Date: 2004 Nov 18, 17:03 -0500

    Bill,
    
    To follow up on this discussion - the base 60 math appears to be an outgrowth 
    of the Babylonian religious system.  The number 12 was the number associated 
    with one of the major deities, while 5 is the number associated with man.  
    They apparently divided the day and night into equal parts - with 12 
    divisions in each portion, thus we would up with hours.
    
    While they did not divide each hour into smaller portions (minutes), it seems 
    to be a fairly easy leap (12 mini-segments, each divided into 5 portions).
    
    Regardless of the reasons that it was developed, it has remained with up until 
    today and we have recognized that it fits many different situations.
    
    This may be an old mathematician's day dream - but as a lot of engineering 
    students have observed - it works.
    
    derrick
    
    
    

       
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