Speculative phase:
From the brainstorming we did in class on Monday, 60 might be a convenient choice because it has many factors compared to 10. This means that 60 has many values which can be divided and result in whole numbers, whereas 10 will result in decimals if divided with the same factors as 60. Hence using a base 60 could be beneficial with so many ways to divide it up compared to base 10.
In our daily lives, one example of using 60 is how we count time:
60 seconds = 1 min
60 minutes = 1 hour
Another that is related to 60 is how 360 degrees (a multiple of 60) is one revolution, and a perfect straight line is 180 degrees.
Research phase:
After some research, I was able to confirm that our class discussion was on the right track with the significance of 60. It is a composite number with many factors compared to 10, and has easier calculations with fractions. Some situations that I picked up in which 60 is found in our world is how the Babylonian year was considered 360 days (a multiple of 60) and that the Chinese sexagenary calendar goes through a 60-year cycle.
You explained divisibility well and connected it to practical examples like time and angles. I also liked that you included both Babylonian and Chinese cultural references in your research phase—it shows a broad perspective.
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