Some how I thought a dozen is always 12 , but just read that a bakers dozen is 13 ! Very surprised . Correct me but this is an idiom so it’s not used in every day math or every day in bakeries. How ever I’m very not convinced to have such different definition for so called units of measure since it will have misleading influence on years into future.
Recently I heard that once you make an immediate measurement it may change in time I mean the unit standard will differ like we have a new standard for kilogram now in late November 2018 in London.
Because of this so-called redefining process continues , dealing right with the most recent definition can be important.
One thought on “55: Bakers dozen!”
Where did you come across baker’s dozen? I just looked it up and it appears that it has roots in Medieval England and had to do with Bakers just trying to avoid punishment by adding an extra loaf as insurance.
I just to occasionally purchase bananas by the dozen in India, and merchants used to add a 13th fruit as “kosaru” – a goodwill to attract future business.
The recent change in Kilogram standard did not actually change the weight of the kilogram, but just how it’s referenced. In the past, it used to be just the weight of an alloy bar somewhere in France. The SI units are being based on fundamental physical constants that don’t change – like the emission spectra or the speed of light or the planck’s constant. These fundamental physical constants are also not tied to a location or country or a certain measurement method. Interesting, isn’t it?