Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.

You can see vestiges of its influence in construction even today in dimensional lumber sizing combined with drywall. A standard studwall with sheetrock will come out as four inches thick.

Suppose that you live in 17th century England. You don't have a tape measure. Instead, what you might have is a piece of twine with knots tied into it that you sized up by holding it up to the Imperial foot standard (posted on the wall of Greenwich Observatory today although there used to be many of them scattered around the country). Because the foot is so divisible, you can arrive at 2,3,4, and 6" by simply folding the string. It won't be perfect, but it'll work good enough for the time for rough work like sewing or construction where the tolerances are less critical.

Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.

You can see vestiges of its influence in construction even today in dimensional lumber sizing combined with drywall. A standard studwall with sheetrock will come out as four inches thick.

Suppose that you live in 17th century England. You don't have a tape measure. Instead, what you might have is a piece of twine with knots tied into it that you sized up by holding it up to the Imperial foot standard (posted on the wall of Greenwich Observatory today although there used to be many of them scattered around the country). Because the foot is so divisible, you can arrive at 2,3,4, and 6" by simply folding the string. It won't be perfect, but it'll work good enough for the time.

Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.

You can see vestiges of its influence in construction even today in dimensional lumber sizing combined with drywall. A standard studwall with sheetrock will come out as four inches thick.

Suppose that you live in 17th century England. You don't have a tape measure. Instead, what you might have is a piece of twine with knots tied into it that you sized up by holding it up to the Imperial foot standard (posted on the wall of Greenwich Observatory today although there used to be many of them scattered around the country). Because the foot is so divisible, you can arrive at 2,3,4, and 6" by simply folding the string. It won't be perfect, but it'll work good enough for the time.

Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.

You can see vestiges of its influence in construction even today in dimensional lumber sizing combined with drywall. A standard studwall with sheetrock will come out as four inches thick.

Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.

You can see vestiges of its influence in construction even today in dimensional lumber sizing combined with drywall. A standard studwall with sheetrock will come out as four inches thick, and every three walls smooshed together is one foot.

Because it's cleanly divisible by almost all the numbers smaller than its half.

Twelve divides by 1,2,3,4 and 6, only 5 is the oldball out. The practical applications of this is why bakers deal in dozens and the imperial foot had twelve inches, it's just really useful as a base because it's so divisible.