Sexagesimal Fractions

Suppose you want to write 6391 in sexagesimal notation. That means we want
to write it in the form

an 60n + an1 60n1 + + a2 602 + a1 601 + a0 600

where the ai are our digits 0 through 59. We rst nd the largest power of 60 we
will need. In this case, that will be 602 = 3600, so our answer, will look something
like

6391 = 602 + 60 + 1
We proceed by dividing the number we have left (starting with 6391) by the next
power of 60, recording the quotient as our digit, and then using the remainder for
the next step:

6391 = 1 3600 + 2791

2791 = 46 60 + 31
31 = 31 1 + 0
So we have found that

6391 = 1 602 + 46 60 + 31 1
= 1, 46, 31
For fractions, this can be trickier, because we also deal with negative powers of 60,
but the concept is the same.

an 60n + an1 60n1 + + a1 601 + a0 600 + a1 601 + + am 60m

We already know how to deal with the whole number portion, so let us concentrate
1
on fractions between 0 and 1. 4.
We begin with an easy example,
1 1
The rst step is to gure out how many
60 s can go into 4 . In this case, it is
exactly 15. That is,

1 15 1
= = 15 +0
4 60 60
1
= 0; 15
4
1 1 1
Most fractions are not that easy. Let us look at
8 . How many 60 s can t inside 8 ?
7 1 8
Since
60 8 < 60 , the answer is 7.
1 1
= 7 +???
8 60
1 7 1514 1
We need to nd the remainder. In this case,
8 60 = 120 = 120 , so we have

1 1 1
=7 +
8 60 120
Now we have to write that remainder in terms of the next power of 60. In other
1 1
words, we need to nd out how many
3600 go into 120 . We get an exact answer
this time, with no remainder.

1 1
= 30 +0
120 3600
1
 2

Putting these two steps together, it looks a little more like the 6391 example above

1 1 1
=7 +
8 60 120
1 1
= 30 +0
120 3600
Therefore
1
= 0; 7, 30
8
An alternate approach is using the fact that

1 1 1 1
= = (0; 15)
8 2 4 2
= 0; 7.5
= 0; 7 + 0; 0.5

What does  0; 0.5 mean? It means

1
2 601 = 30
60 601 = 30
602 = 0; 0, 30
1
= 0; 7 + 0; 0, 30
8
= 0; 7, 30
28 7
Let me show one more example, 0.028. 1000 = 250 . You still
As a fraction, this is
might wonder how I am lling in the quotient (q ) and remainder (r ) when writing

7 1
=q +r
250 60
7 1
The answer is... the same as I did with whole numbers! Take
250 / 60 . The whole
number part of that division is q . In this case, that is 1. So I have

7 1
=1 +r
250 60
1 7 7 1


Now we know 1 copy of
60 ts inside of 250 , so I subtract it out of there 250 60
to nd r
7 1 17
=1 +
250 60 1500
Now I take this remainder and do the same... with the next power of 60.
17 1
=q +r
1500 3600
You should nd
17 1 1
= 40 +
1500 3600 4500
and then nally
1 1
=q +r
4500 216000
gives
1 1
= 48 +0
4500 216000
 3

Putting our steps together, you can perhaps see the process more clearly

7 1 17
=1 +
250 60 1500
17 1 1
= 40 +
1500 3600 4500
1 1
= 48 +0
4500 216000
Therefore
7
0.028 = = 0; 1, 40, 48
250