Silly numbers

12th Feb 08

Interesting fact? On one hand you can count off the numbers from 1 to 12 by touching the joints of your fingers with your thumb. If you’ve ever travelled around Asian or Arab nations you’ll probably have seen this. I’ve lost focus in many a good barter watching this, but its unlikely to have cost me more than a few dirham! There are many good arguments for counting in twelves rather than in tens. Making the most of the twelve joints on the fingers of one hand is just one of them. Other things about the number twelve: 3 + 4 + 5; a dozen, but not a baker’s dozen; twelve months in a year; twelve inches in a foot; twelve old pennies in a shilling; twelve signs of the Zodiac; twelve apostles; twelve people in a jury; 12 o’clock is midday or midnight, neither am nor pm; 12pt is the font size most people write it, but probably not you if you’re a creative.

Posted by Stephen Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:39:01 GMT
0 comment(s) | Add Comment | Link to this post