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.
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.
| Small Gross | Half Dozen |
|---|---|
0
sm-gr
|
0
half-dozen
|
0.5
sm-gr
|
10
half-dozen
|
1
sm-gr
|
20
half-dozen
|
1.5
sm-gr
|
30
half-dozen
|
2
sm-gr
|
40
half-dozen
|
2.5
sm-gr
|
50
half-dozen
|
3
sm-gr
|
60
half-dozen
|
3.5
sm-gr
|
70
half-dozen
|
4
sm-gr
|
80
half-dozen
|
4.5
sm-gr
|
90
half-dozen
|
5
sm-gr
|
100
half-dozen
|
5.5
sm-gr
|
110
half-dozen
|
6
sm-gr
|
120
half-dozen
|
6.5
sm-gr
|
130
half-dozen
|
7
sm-gr
|
140
half-dozen
|
7.5
sm-gr
|
150
half-dozen
|
8
sm-gr
|
160
half-dozen
|
8.5
sm-gr
|
170
half-dozen
|
9
sm-gr
|
180
half-dozen
|
9.5
sm-gr
|
190
half-dozen
|
10
sm-gr
|
200
half-dozen
|
10.5
sm-gr
|
210
half-dozen
|
11
sm-gr
|
220
half-dozen
|
11.5
sm-gr
|
230
half-dozen
|
12
sm-gr
|
240
half-dozen
|
12.5
sm-gr
|
250
half-dozen
|
13
sm-gr
|
260
half-dozen
|
13.5
sm-gr
|
270
half-dozen
|
14
sm-gr
|
280
half-dozen
|
14.5
sm-gr
|
290
half-dozen
|
15
sm-gr
|
300
half-dozen
|
15.5
sm-gr
|
310
half-dozen
|
16
sm-gr
|
320
half-dozen
|
16.5
sm-gr
|
330
half-dozen
|
17
sm-gr
|
340
half-dozen
|
17.5
sm-gr
|
350
half-dozen
|
18
sm-gr
|
360
half-dozen
|
18.5
sm-gr
|
370
half-dozen
|
19
sm-gr
|
380
half-dozen
|
19.5
sm-gr
|
390
half-dozen
|
20
sm-gr
|
400
half-dozen
|
20.5
sm-gr
|
410
half-dozen
|
21
sm-gr
|
420
half-dozen
|
21.5
sm-gr
|
430
half-dozen
|
22
sm-gr
|
440
half-dozen
|
22.5
sm-gr
|
450
half-dozen
|
23
sm-gr
|
460
half-dozen
|
23.5
sm-gr
|
470
half-dozen
|
24
sm-gr
|
480
half-dozen
|
24.5
sm-gr
|
490
half-dozen
|
25
sm-gr
|
500
half-dozen
|
25.5
sm-gr
|
510
half-dozen
|
26
sm-gr
|
520
half-dozen
|
26.5
sm-gr
|
530
half-dozen
|
27
sm-gr
|
540
half-dozen
|
27.5
sm-gr
|
550
half-dozen
|
28
sm-gr
|
560
half-dozen
|
28.5
sm-gr
|
570
half-dozen
|
29
sm-gr
|
580
half-dozen
|
29.5
sm-gr
|
590
half-dozen
|
30
sm-gr
|
600
half-dozen
|
30.5
sm-gr
|
610
half-dozen
|
31
sm-gr
|
620
half-dozen
|
31.5
sm-gr
|
630
half-dozen
|
32
sm-gr
|
640
half-dozen
|
32.5
sm-gr
|
650
half-dozen
|
33
sm-gr
|
660
half-dozen
|
33.5
sm-gr
|
670
half-dozen
|
34
sm-gr
|
680
half-dozen
|
34.5
sm-gr
|
690
half-dozen
|
35
sm-gr
|
700
half-dozen
|
35.5
sm-gr
|
710
half-dozen
|
36
sm-gr
|
720
half-dozen
|
36.5
sm-gr
|
730
half-dozen
|
37
sm-gr
|
740
half-dozen
|
37.5
sm-gr
|
750
half-dozen
|
38
sm-gr
|
760
half-dozen
|
38.5
sm-gr
|
770
half-dozen
|
39
sm-gr
|
780
half-dozen
|
39.5
sm-gr
|
790
half-dozen
|
40
sm-gr
|
800
half-dozen
|
40.5
sm-gr
|
810
half-dozen
|
41
sm-gr
|
820
half-dozen
|
41.5
sm-gr
|
830
half-dozen
|
42
sm-gr
|
840
half-dozen
|
42.5
sm-gr
|
850
half-dozen
|
43
sm-gr
|
860
half-dozen
|
43.5
sm-gr
|
870
half-dozen
|
44
sm-gr
|
880
half-dozen
|
44.5
sm-gr
|
890
half-dozen
|
45
sm-gr
|
900
half-dozen
|
45.5
sm-gr
|
910
half-dozen
|
46
sm-gr
|
920
half-dozen
|
46.5
sm-gr
|
930
half-dozen
|
47
sm-gr
|
940
half-dozen
|
47.5
sm-gr
|
950
half-dozen
|
48
sm-gr
|
960
half-dozen
|
48.5
sm-gr
|
970
half-dozen
|
49
sm-gr
|
980
half-dozen
|
49.5
sm-gr
|
990
half-dozen
|
50
sm-gr
|
1000
half-dozen
|
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