[USMA:35663] decimal time

[Bill Hooper]

On 2006 Jan 14 , at 2:46 PM, Paul Trusten, R.Ph. wrote: We've talked about decimal time here (a 10-hour day, etc.) In SI, time is already decimal; it is measured in seconds, kiloseconds, milliseconds, etc. Civil time ("time of day") is measured in non-SI units that are so thoroughly (but debatably) ingrained into society that even the powers of SI have agreed that hours and minutes (and even days and years) are acceptable "for use WITH the SI". So, anyone who wishes to change the number of hours in a day, minutes in an hour or seconds in a minute may do so as much as they please without any effect on SI (PROVIDED that the size of the second is not changed). If you like, go to it. Any such plan has to recognize that there  are 86 400 seconds (or 86.4 ks) in a day and whatever scheme one could devise must accommodate that fact. It is impractical in the extreme to consider changing the length of the second, and it is impossible (with foreseeable technology) to change the length of the day (the rotation of the Earth). It may be, that for measuring civil time, the minute and hour are no worse than any other possible arrangement. Regards, Bill Hooper Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA ========================  SIMPLIFICATION begins with SI ========================