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We have the term "metric" for things measured in decimal or powers of 1000:

  • millimeter
  • meter
  • kilometer

And the term "hexadecimal" for things measured in base 16.

What term describes grouping numbers in powers of sixty, such as used in time or degrees:

  • 23:59:59.999
  • 179° 59' 59.999"
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Don't forget octal! Everyone forgets octal... :( – Mahnax Nov 16 '11 at 4:20
I don't forget octal. I work with octal daily. :-) – Hand-E-Food Nov 16 '11 at 5:32
Octal is deserving of more publicity, IMO. – Mahnax Nov 16 '11 at 14:31

closed as general reference by Jasper Loy, simchona♦, Hugo, aedia λ, Marthaª Nov 16 '11 at 17:21

This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

1 Answer

up vote 9 down vote accepted

Sexagesimal is the word:

Sexagesimal (base 60) is a numeral system with sixty as its base. It originated with the ancient Sumerians in the 3rd millennium BC, it was passed down to the ancient Babylonians, and it is still used — in a modified form — for measuring time, angles, and the geographic coordinates that are angles.

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1  
That's the one I'm after. Thanks! – Hand-E-Food Nov 16 '11 at 0:51

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