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The Babylonian system of mathematics was a sexagesimal (base 60) numeral system. From this we derive the modern-day usage of 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 360 degrees in a circle. [8] The Babylonians were able to make great advances in mathematics for two reasons.
A degree (in full, a degree of arc, arc degree, or arcdegree), usually denoted by ° (the degree symbol), is a measurement of a plane angle in which one full rotation is 360 degrees. [4] It is not an SI unit—the SI unit of angular measure is the radian—but it is mentioned in the SI brochure as an accepted unit. [5]
Sexagesimal, also known as base 60, [1] is a numeral system with sixty as its base.It originated with the ancient Sumerians in the 3rd millennium BC, was passed down to the ancient Babylonians, and is still used—in a modified form—for measuring time, angles, and geographic coordinates.
These digits were used to represent larger numbers in the base 60 (sexagesimal) positional system. For example, 𒁹𒁹 𒌋𒌋𒁹𒁹𒁹 𒁹𒁹𒁹 would represent 2×60 2 +23×60+3 = 8583. A space was left to indicate a place without value, similar to the modern-day zero. Babylonians later devised a sign to represent this empty place.
Many angle units are defined as a division of the turn. For example, the degree is defined such that one turn is 360 degrees. Using metric prefixes, the turn can be divided in 100 centiturns or 1000 milliturns, with each milliturn corresponding to an angle of 0.36°, which can also be written as 21′ 36″.
In the following definitions, the hypotenuse is the side opposite to the 90-degree angle in a right triangle; it is the longest side of the triangle and one of the two sides adjacent to angle A. The adjacent leg is the other side that is adjacent to angle A. The opposite side is the side that is opposite to angle A.
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The angle subtended by a complete circle at its centre is a complete angle, which measures 2 π radians, 360 degrees, or one turn. Using radians, the formula for the arc length s of a circular arc of radius r and subtending a central angle of measure 𝜃 is s = θ r , {\displaystyle s=\theta r,}