Sexagesimal Calculations in Ancient Sumer

TL;DR

This paper explores why ancient Sumerians adopted the sexagesimal system, highlighting its practicality for large number calculations, including multiplication, division, and measurement of areas and quantities.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the logical and practical reasons behind the Sumerians' choice of the sexagesimal system and explains their systematic calculation methods.

Findings

Sumerians chose sexagesimal for ease of large number calculations

They performed multiplications and divisions within this system

Their methods for measuring areas and quantities were systematic

Abstract

This article discusses the reasons for the choice of the sexagesimal system by ancient Sumerians. It is shown that Sumerians chose this specific numeral system based on logical and practical reasons which enabled them to deal with big numbers easily and even perform the multiplications and divisions in this system. I shall also discuss how the Sumerians calculated the area of a large field and measured a large quantity of barley according to their seemingly complicated but really systematic methods.