1m = 10dm = 100cm = 1000mm VS 1m = 12dm = 144cm = 1728mm

That's obviously not what I'm talking about.

To make a base 12 system work, you'd need to change the numerical system also, by adding two new digits, like we do for hexadecimal numbers, so you'd have ...8-9-A-B-10, where A = 10 and B = 11 (in 10 base), so that 1m = 10dm = 100cm but in base 12.

Yes exactly. It's equally as easy to do both. Counting to base 10 isn't easier than doing it to base 12 or base 6. But 10 is just a kind of shitty number. That's why imperial tends to use 12 because its better. They just changed the wrong thing. Metric should use base 12.

Changing it would be a ball ache. 12 is better than 10 though.

Yeah but it doesn't have the same schwag as base 60

Granted, but it divides by two multiple times. Take a good, round number like 1024 and you can halve it 10 times in a row.

The metric system handles thirds by just using multiples. Like, you buy a 1200 wide benchtop and then you can fit a three 400 drawers under it.

You could technically do the same in hex and the base numbers are all (x^y + x^(y+1)) which represent well.

Or you can count in binary, and get to over 1000 on ten fingers