A “small gross” may sound peculiar in the world of measurements, yet it holds a significant niche in the realm of counting. A small gross equals 120 units, serving as a fascinating intermediate between a dozen and a gross. This unit reflects the duodecimal system’s influence, a base-12 number system used historically in trade and counting, particularly before the widespread adoption of the decimal system. While its usage is rarer today, it was once quite practical for merchandise packaging and bulk items, highlighting humanity’s penchant for diverse mathematical solutions in different eras. Rediscovering units like the small gross bridges the gap between historical trade practices and modern numerical systems, shedding light on how societies have quantified goods across centuries.
The “dozen dozen,” also known as a gross, is a fascinating unit of quantity that equals 144 items. This term comes from the French word “gros,” emphasizing its historical roots in trade and commerce. In a time when transactions relied heavily on simplicity, the gross provided an efficient means of bulk counting, especially in trading markets for items like eggs and screws.
Interestingly, the gross has persisted through centuries and still finds relevance today in certain industries and mathematics where large countable units simplify operations. Historically, it was also part of the duodecimal (base-12) counting system, which merchants found easier for divisions into halves, thirds, and quarters compared to our base-10 system. This unique unit highlights the historical significance of non-decimal counting methods that shaped modern commerce.
| Small Gross | Dozen Dozen |
|---|---|
0
sm-gr
|
0
doz-doz
|
0.5
sm-gr
|
0.416667
doz-doz
|
1
sm-gr
|
0.833333
doz-doz
|
1.5
sm-gr
|
1.25
doz-doz
|
2
sm-gr
|
1.66667
doz-doz
|
2.5
sm-gr
|
2.08333
doz-doz
|
3
sm-gr
|
2.5
doz-doz
|
3.5
sm-gr
|
2.91667
doz-doz
|
4
sm-gr
|
3.33333
doz-doz
|
4.5
sm-gr
|
3.75
doz-doz
|
5
sm-gr
|
4.16667
doz-doz
|
5.5
sm-gr
|
4.58333
doz-doz
|
6
sm-gr
|
5
doz-doz
|
6.5
sm-gr
|
5.41667
doz-doz
|
7
sm-gr
|
5.83333
doz-doz
|
7.5
sm-gr
|
6.25
doz-doz
|
8
sm-gr
|
6.66667
doz-doz
|
8.5
sm-gr
|
7.08333
doz-doz
|
9
sm-gr
|
7.5
doz-doz
|
9.5
sm-gr
|
7.91667
doz-doz
|
10
sm-gr
|
8.33333
doz-doz
|
10.5
sm-gr
|
8.75
doz-doz
|
11
sm-gr
|
9.16667
doz-doz
|
11.5
sm-gr
|
9.58333
doz-doz
|
12
sm-gr
|
10
doz-doz
|
12.5
sm-gr
|
10.41667
doz-doz
|
13
sm-gr
|
10.83333
doz-doz
|
13.5
sm-gr
|
11.25
doz-doz
|
14
sm-gr
|
11.66667
doz-doz
|
14.5
sm-gr
|
12.08333
doz-doz
|
15
sm-gr
|
12.5
doz-doz
|
15.5
sm-gr
|
12.91667
doz-doz
|
16
sm-gr
|
13.33333
doz-doz
|
16.5
sm-gr
|
13.75
doz-doz
|
17
sm-gr
|
14.16667
doz-doz
|
17.5
sm-gr
|
14.58333
doz-doz
|
18
sm-gr
|
15
doz-doz
|
18.5
sm-gr
|
15.41667
doz-doz
|
19
sm-gr
|
15.83333
doz-doz
|
19.5
sm-gr
|
16.25
doz-doz
|
20
sm-gr
|
16.66667
doz-doz
|
20.5
sm-gr
|
17.08333
doz-doz
|
21
sm-gr
|
17.5
doz-doz
|
21.5
sm-gr
|
17.91667
doz-doz
|
22
sm-gr
|
18.33333
doz-doz
|
22.5
sm-gr
|
18.75
doz-doz
|
23
sm-gr
|
19.16667
doz-doz
|
23.5
sm-gr
|
19.58333
doz-doz
|
24
sm-gr
|
20
doz-doz
|
24.5
sm-gr
|
20.41667
doz-doz
|
25
sm-gr
|
20.83333
doz-doz
|
25.5
sm-gr
|
21.25
doz-doz
|
26
sm-gr
|
21.66667
doz-doz
|
26.5
sm-gr
|
22.08333
doz-doz
|
27
sm-gr
|
22.5
doz-doz
|
27.5
sm-gr
|
22.91667
doz-doz
|
28
sm-gr
|
23.33333
doz-doz
|
28.5
sm-gr
|
23.75
doz-doz
|
29
sm-gr
|
24.16667
doz-doz
|
29.5
sm-gr
|
24.58333
doz-doz
|
30
sm-gr
|
25
doz-doz
|
30.5
sm-gr
|
25.41667
doz-doz
|
31
sm-gr
|
25.83333
doz-doz
|
31.5
sm-gr
|
26.25
doz-doz
|
32
sm-gr
|
26.66667
doz-doz
|
32.5
sm-gr
|
27.08333
doz-doz
|
33
sm-gr
|
27.5
doz-doz
|
33.5
sm-gr
|
27.91667
doz-doz
|
34
sm-gr
|
28.33333
doz-doz
|
34.5
sm-gr
|
28.75
doz-doz
|
35
sm-gr
|
29.16667
doz-doz
|
35.5
sm-gr
|
29.58333
doz-doz
|
36
sm-gr
|
30
doz-doz
|
36.5
sm-gr
|
30.41667
doz-doz
|
37
sm-gr
|
30.83333
doz-doz
|
37.5
sm-gr
|
31.25
doz-doz
|
38
sm-gr
|
31.66667
doz-doz
|
38.5
sm-gr
|
32.08333
doz-doz
|
39
sm-gr
|
32.5
doz-doz
|
39.5
sm-gr
|
32.91667
doz-doz
|
40
sm-gr
|
33.33333
doz-doz
|
40.5
sm-gr
|
33.75
doz-doz
|
41
sm-gr
|
34.16667
doz-doz
|
41.5
sm-gr
|
34.58333
doz-doz
|
42
sm-gr
|
35
doz-doz
|
42.5
sm-gr
|
35.41667
doz-doz
|
43
sm-gr
|
35.83333
doz-doz
|
43.5
sm-gr
|
36.25
doz-doz
|
44
sm-gr
|
36.66667
doz-doz
|
44.5
sm-gr
|
37.08333
doz-doz
|
45
sm-gr
|
37.5
doz-doz
|
45.5
sm-gr
|
37.91667
doz-doz
|
46
sm-gr
|
38.33333
doz-doz
|
46.5
sm-gr
|
38.75
doz-doz
|
47
sm-gr
|
39.16667
doz-doz
|
47.5
sm-gr
|
39.58333
doz-doz
|
48
sm-gr
|
40
doz-doz
|
48.5
sm-gr
|
40.41667
doz-doz
|
49
sm-gr
|
40.83333
doz-doz
|
49.5
sm-gr
|
41.25
doz-doz
|
50
sm-gr
|
41.66667
doz-doz
|
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