It is capable of division by 2, 3, 4, and 6, and hence admits of the taking of halves, thirds, quarters, and sixths of itself without the introduction of fractions in the result.
From a commercial stand-point this advantage is very great; so great that many have seriously advocated the entire abolition of the decimal scale, and the substitution of the duodecimal in its stead.

It is said that Charles XII.

of Sweden was actually contemplating such a change in his dominions at the time of his death.

In pursuance of this idea, some writers have gone so far as to suggest symbols for 10 and 11, and to recast our entire numeral nomenclature to conform to the duodecimal base.[225] Were such a change made, we should express the first nine numbers as at present, 10 and 11 by new, single symbols, and 12 by 10.

From this point the progression would be regular, as in the decimal scale--only the same combination of figures in the different scales would mean very different things.