Dozen: Why does a dozen only come from 12 ingredients... and not 10 or 11? Learn the science behind it...

Have you ever wondered why there are always 12 things in a dozen? Not 10, not 11, but simply 12! Whether it's eggs, bananas, or sweets, everything is counted in dozens. But behind this 12 lies not just tradition, but also interesting mathematics, history, and science. Let's find out.

Where does the word 'dozen' originate?
The word 'dozen' comes from the English word 'dozen,' and the root of 'dozen' is the Latin word 'duodecim,' which means twelve. So, a dozen itself means twelve. However, that's just a matter of language—the question is, why 12?

The Mystery of Ancient Counting
Today, we use the decimal system based on 10s—that is, 10, 100, 1000, etc.—but in ancient times, many civilizations used a system based on 12 (duodecimal system). Ancient civilizations like Egypt, Rome, and Babylon considered 12 to be a complete cycle. This is because:

There are 12 months in a year.
Clocks have a 12-hour cycle (24 hours including AM and PM).
It is easy to divide a sphere or circle into 12 equal parts.
That is, 12 was considered a symbol of completeness and balance.
12 was also convenient for calculations.
12 is also a very useful number mathematically.
12 can be easily divided by 2, 3, 4, and 6, meaning dividing it into equal parts is easy.

For example:

12 divided by 2 equals 6.
12 divided by 3 equals 4.
12 divided by 4 equals 3.
12 divided by 6 equals 2.
For this reason, ancient merchants found it easier to group 12 items, especially when selling or distributing items.

The Importance of 12 in Markets and Trade
In ancient Europe, when goods were sold in markets, people began using 12 as a practical unit. If the price of an item needed to be fixed, dividing 12 by half, a quarter, or a sixth was easy. This reduced the likelihood of accounting errors. Gradually, this practice became so common that 12 items together came to be called a dozen.

What is a 'baker's dozen'?
Did you know that at one time, a 'baker's dozen' was also used to refer to 13 items? In fact, when bakers in England sold loaves of bread or buns, they would offer 13 instead of a dozen, so that customers wouldn't be disadvantaged if the weight was found to be less.

The 13th piece was a bonus.

The Science and Psychology of Dozens
12 isn't considered a "perfect number," but it is considered a "balanced number." Psychologically, humans can easily recognize and remember groups of 12, such as:

The 12 months of the year
The 12 signs of the zodiac
The 12 numbers of a clock
So, when certain things need to be put together, a group of 12 gives the brain a sense of "completeness." Therefore, whether it's eggs or bananas, unless they count to 12, they don't count as "a dozen."

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