Ma Be wrote extensively on this subject in USMA 20796 in reply to Pat
Naughtin's USMA 20789.
30� = 33.33.. gon = 0.3333.. quad = 0.08333.. circle
60� 66.66.. gon = 0.6666.. quad = 0.16666.. circle
The minute and second of arc could well be abolished because they serve no
useful purpose.
Clocks displaying decimal time with a 10 hour day were constructed in
France in 1793, but decimal time was abandoned in 1795. Reviving it now
would require the majority of metric units to be redefined due to the
replacemewnt of the second.
That is a major change. The CGPM doesn't dare even to rename the kilogram,
so I can't imagine that it would give the slightest consideration to a
proposal to replace the second with a quite different unit.
With decimal time the working day would be divided into 3 shifts of 3,33..
hours each.
Joseph B.Reid
17 Glebe Road West
Toronto M5P 1C8 Tel. 416 486-6071
