[bsder]

24 and 360 are really good unit bases for something you have to divide by hand. 24 gets you 2/3/4/6/8/12 while 360 gets you 2/3/4/5/6/8/10/12/15/18/20/24/30/36/45/60/72/90/120/180

And, we don't always adhere to cartesian conventions. Right-hand and left-hand rules abound in engineering. And even computer graphics regularly flips the axis directions depending upon usage (perspective transforms, for example).

And, decimal degrees isn't that uncommon either.