While we often think of a dozen as a straightforward count of 12, its counterpart, the half dozen, amounts to 6. Surprisingly, the half dozen has played a significant role throughout history and culture. Derived from the Old French word “douszain,” the dozen has deep roots in ancient measurements, with the half dozen naturally becoming a preferred unit for counting and packaging smaller quantities.
In baking, a half dozen is a common way to package or sell items like bagels or cupcakes, appealing for its simplicity and practicality. Beyond its culinary applications, the term “half dozen” is frequently used in expressions and idioms, highlighting the innate human preference for dealing with manageable chunks of numbers.
The Great Gross is a fascinating old-world unit of measure that might surprise many with its sheer scale. Representing 12 Gross (or 144 dozens), a Great Gross equals a whopping 1,728 individual items! Used historically in wholesale trade, especially during the medieval and early modern periods in Europe, this unit provided efficiency in large-scale commerce, allowing for easy calculation and transaction in bulk goods like candles, eggs, or textiles.
While not commonly used in modern trade, the Great Gross underscores historical trade practices and quantification in a world before digital analytics. Imagine being a merchant in a bustling market, selling your goods in Great Grosses—an image that conjures the vibrant rhythms of bygone eras and highlights the evolution of our measurement systems over time.
| Half Dozen | Great Gross |
|---|---|
0
half-dozen
|
0
gr-gr
|
0.5
half-dozen
|
0.00173611
gr-gr
|
1
half-dozen
|
0.00347222
gr-gr
|
1.5
half-dozen
|
0.00520833
gr-gr
|
2
half-dozen
|
0.00694444
gr-gr
|
2.5
half-dozen
|
0.00868056
gr-gr
|
3
half-dozen
|
0.0104167
gr-gr
|
3.5
half-dozen
|
0.0121528
gr-gr
|
4
half-dozen
|
0.0138889
gr-gr
|
4.5
half-dozen
|
0.015625
gr-gr
|
5
half-dozen
|
0.0173611
gr-gr
|
5.5
half-dozen
|
0.0190972
gr-gr
|
6
half-dozen
|
0.0208333
gr-gr
|
6.5
half-dozen
|
0.0225694
gr-gr
|
7
half-dozen
|
0.0243056
gr-gr
|
7.5
half-dozen
|
0.0260417
gr-gr
|
8
half-dozen
|
0.0277778
gr-gr
|
8.5
half-dozen
|
0.0295139
gr-gr
|
9
half-dozen
|
0.03125
gr-gr
|
9.5
half-dozen
|
0.0329861
gr-gr
|
10
half-dozen
|
0.0347222
gr-gr
|
10.5
half-dozen
|
0.0364583
gr-gr
|
11
half-dozen
|
0.0381944
gr-gr
|
11.5
half-dozen
|
0.0399306
gr-gr
|
12
half-dozen
|
0.0416667
gr-gr
|
12.5
half-dozen
|
0.0434028
gr-gr
|
13
half-dozen
|
0.0451389
gr-gr
|
13.5
half-dozen
|
0.046875
gr-gr
|
14
half-dozen
|
0.0486111
gr-gr
|
14.5
half-dozen
|
0.0503472
gr-gr
|
15
half-dozen
|
0.0520833
gr-gr
|
15.5
half-dozen
|
0.0538194
gr-gr
|
16
half-dozen
|
0.0555556
gr-gr
|
16.5
half-dozen
|
0.0572917
gr-gr
|
17
half-dozen
|
0.0590278
gr-gr
|
17.5
half-dozen
|
0.0607639
gr-gr
|
18
half-dozen
|
0.0625
gr-gr
|
18.5
half-dozen
|
0.0642361
gr-gr
|
19
half-dozen
|
0.0659722
gr-gr
|
19.5
half-dozen
|
0.0677083
gr-gr
|
20
half-dozen
|
0.0694444
gr-gr
|
20.5
half-dozen
|
0.0711806
gr-gr
|
21
half-dozen
|
0.0729167
gr-gr
|
21.5
half-dozen
|
0.0746528
gr-gr
|
22
half-dozen
|
0.0763889
gr-gr
|
22.5
half-dozen
|
0.078125
gr-gr
|
23
half-dozen
|
0.0798611
gr-gr
|
23.5
half-dozen
|
0.0815972
gr-gr
|
24
half-dozen
|
0.0833333
gr-gr
|
24.5
half-dozen
|
0.0850694
gr-gr
|
25
half-dozen
|
0.0868056
gr-gr
|
25.5
half-dozen
|
0.0885417
gr-gr
|
26
half-dozen
|
0.0902778
gr-gr
|
26.5
half-dozen
|
0.0920139
gr-gr
|
27
half-dozen
|
0.09375
gr-gr
|
27.5
half-dozen
|
0.0954861
gr-gr
|
28
half-dozen
|
0.0972222
gr-gr
|
28.5
half-dozen
|
0.0989583
gr-gr
|
29
half-dozen
|
0.100694
gr-gr
|
29.5
half-dozen
|
0.102431
gr-gr
|
30
half-dozen
|
0.104167
gr-gr
|
30.5
half-dozen
|
0.105903
gr-gr
|
31
half-dozen
|
0.107639
gr-gr
|
31.5
half-dozen
|
0.109375
gr-gr
|
32
half-dozen
|
0.111111
gr-gr
|
32.5
half-dozen
|
0.112847
gr-gr
|
33
half-dozen
|
0.114583
gr-gr
|
33.5
half-dozen
|
0.116319
gr-gr
|
34
half-dozen
|
0.118056
gr-gr
|
34.5
half-dozen
|
0.119792
gr-gr
|
35
half-dozen
|
0.121528
gr-gr
|
35.5
half-dozen
|
0.123264
gr-gr
|
36
half-dozen
|
0.125
gr-gr
|
36.5
half-dozen
|
0.126736
gr-gr
|
37
half-dozen
|
0.128472
gr-gr
|
37.5
half-dozen
|
0.130208
gr-gr
|
38
half-dozen
|
0.131944
gr-gr
|
38.5
half-dozen
|
0.133681
gr-gr
|
39
half-dozen
|
0.135417
gr-gr
|
39.5
half-dozen
|
0.137153
gr-gr
|
40
half-dozen
|
0.138889
gr-gr
|
40.5
half-dozen
|
0.140625
gr-gr
|
41
half-dozen
|
0.142361
gr-gr
|
41.5
half-dozen
|
0.144097
gr-gr
|
42
half-dozen
|
0.145833
gr-gr
|
42.5
half-dozen
|
0.147569
gr-gr
|
43
half-dozen
|
0.149306
gr-gr
|
43.5
half-dozen
|
0.151042
gr-gr
|
44
half-dozen
|
0.152778
gr-gr
|
44.5
half-dozen
|
0.154514
gr-gr
|
45
half-dozen
|
0.15625
gr-gr
|
45.5
half-dozen
|
0.157986
gr-gr
|
46
half-dozen
|
0.159722
gr-gr
|
46.5
half-dozen
|
0.161458
gr-gr
|
47
half-dozen
|
0.163194
gr-gr
|
47.5
half-dozen
|
0.164931
gr-gr
|
48
half-dozen
|
0.166667
gr-gr
|
48.5
half-dozen
|
0.168403
gr-gr
|
49
half-dozen
|
0.170139
gr-gr
|
49.5
half-dozen
|
0.171875
gr-gr
|
50
half-dozen
|
0.173611
gr-gr
|
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