How 1 degree is equal to 60 mins?

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SUMMARY

One degree is defined as equal to 60 minutes due to historical conventions rooted in ancient measurement systems. The circle is divided into 360 degrees, a choice influenced by the number's numerous factors, facilitating calculations. The division of degrees into minutes stems from the Babylonian base 60 number system. Additionally, the minute was historically used to define the nautical mile, although this led to complications in measurement across different latitudes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of angular measurement systems
  • Familiarity with the concept of degrees and minutes
  • Knowledge of historical numeral systems, particularly base 60
  • Basic concepts of navigation and the nautical mile
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  • Research the historical significance of the Babylonian base 60 number system
  • Explore the mathematical properties of the number 360
  • Learn about the definition and calculation of the nautical mile
  • Investigate the impact of latitude on distance measurement in navigation
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Students of mathematics, historians of science, navigators, and anyone interested in the origins of measurement systems and their applications in navigation.

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how 1 degree is equal to 60 mins?
 
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They defined it that way.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
A more detailed explanation on the mysteries of degrees and minutes is related in the wikipedia article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_(angle)

Where they mention a circle having 360 degrees and the year having 360 days in some ancient calendar systems. Also 360 is a number with a lot of factors making it a useful choice for measurement systems. The 60 minutes to a degree may be the result of the base 60 number system in use by the Babylonians.

An interesting maritime feature of the minute is that it was used to define the nautical mile until they realized the variation of length if measured in the low latitudes vs the high latitudes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautical_mile
 

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