How Does Base 60 (sexagesimal) - Numberphile Work?

Base 60, also called sexagesimal, is like having a clock that counts in groups of 60 instead of 10, just like how we count on our fingers!

Imagine you have 60 blocks in your toy box. Instead of counting them one by one (like 1, 2, 3...), you group them into piles of 60, and then you count the piles instead, it’s faster!

In base 60, numbers go like this:

• 1 to 59 are just single blocks.
• When you hit 60, that's one full pile (like a bag of 60 candies).
• Then you count how many bags you have, and inside each bag, you can still count the leftover blocks, just like counting your toys after you’ve grouped them!

People who lived a long time ago used base 60 because it’s super useful for dividing things into parts. For example, 60 can be divided evenly by many numbers (like 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...), which makes it perfect for measuring time or angles. That’s why we still use it today in clocks and degrees!