Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2011 July 18

= July 18 =

Time and angles, Similar Increments?
Why are the increments for angles and for time similar in name and quantity? eg. Angles - 60 seconds = 1 minute, 60 minutes = 1 degree and Time  - 60 seconds = 1 minute, 60 minutes = 1 hour — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.160.91.201 (talk) 17:12, 18 July 2011 (UTC)


 * I think the relation comes from the fact that time was originally measured in terms of the angles of celestial bodies (the sun in particular). Still, 24 hours doesn't match up with 360 degrees in a circle so I don't know what's up with that.  Degree_(angle) has some discussion of where 360 degrees might have come from. Rckrone (talk) 17:38, 18 July 2011 (UTC)


 * The Sumerians in ancient Babylon and some Indians and Chinese were using 24/60/60 time at the dawn of their history, suggesting traveling merchants must have used them along the Silk Road trade routes. 99.2.148.119 (talk) 20:44, 18 July 2011 (UTC)


 * My guess is that it's merely because both started in sexagesimal Babylon. The word minute is not inherently related to time or angle; it's the 'smaller' unit of either. —Tamfang (talk) 21:08, 18 July 2011 (UTC)
 * According to dictionary.com:

Pars minuta prima, "first small part", was used by Ptolemy for one-sixtieth of a circle, later of an hour. Next in order was secunda minuta, which became second.
 * --Antendren (talk) 06:38, 19 July 2011 (UTC)