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Why are degrees divided into minutes and seconds? Is this related to time some how?

Question #143301. Asked by quogequox.
Last updated Oct 10 2016.
Originally posted Oct 09 2016 7:51 AM.

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kingofmates star
Answer has 3 votes
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kingofmates star
13 year member
771 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
This is simply related to geometric divisions of the 360 degrees in a circle.

"A minute of arc is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of one degree."
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minute_and_second_of_arc

A second of arc is a unit of angular measurement equal to 1/60 of a minute of arc.

Oct 09 2016, 7:30 PM
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looney_tunes star
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looney_tunes star
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19 year member
3289 replies avatar

Answer has 0 votes.
The use of 60ths as the division of both angular measures and time measures is based on the Babylonian sexagesimal (base-60) number system. Some applications choose to use decimal fractions of a degree (60.5 degrees, rather than 60 degrees 30 seconds).

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagesimal

Oct 10 2016, 8:34 PM
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