The word "decimalization" originates from two Latin roots:
decem: meaning "ten"
-ize: meaning "to make"
Meaning
Decimalization refers to the process of converting a system of measurement or currency from a non-decimal base (such as base 12) to a decimal base (base 10).
Origin
Decimalization has a long history and has been used in various contexts throughout the centuries. Here are some notable examples:
Ancient Egypt: The ancient Egyptians used a decimal system for their currency, with coins representing values of 1, 10, 100, and so on.
Ancient Greece and Rome: Decimal systems were also known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used them in mathematics and measurement.
Middle Ages: During the Middle Ages, some European merchants and scholars began to adopt decimal systems for accounting and calculation.
16th Century: In the 16th century, Flemish mathematician Simon Stevin published a treatise promoting the use of a decimal system for currency, measurement, and arithmetic.
17th Century: The Dutch Republic became the first country to officially adopt a decimal system of currency in 1679.
18th Century: France adopted a decimal system for its currency and measurement in 1795, which had a significant influence on the spread of decimalization throughout Europe.
19th and 20th Centuries: Decimalization became widely adopted in the 19th and 20th centuries for various systems, including currency, weights and measures, and scientific notation.
